‘We’ll be ready’: Hurricanes hoping to beat Clemson for first time since 2010
The history of Clemson-Miami games is not favorable to the Hurricanes.
The Tigers have beaten UM in their last four matchups by a combined score of 178-30. Miami has not beaten Clemson since 2010, and the Hurricanes have not beaten the Tigers in South Florida since 1956 (they are 0-3 in South Florida in that stretch).
Last year, Miami lost 40-10 in South Carolina, and the taste of that is still bitter. So when the Hurricanes host (4-2, 0-2 ACC) Clemson (4-2, 2-2 ACC) on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium at 8 p.m., they will be looking to break a long-running trend.
“Losing to a team last year, you always want to play with a chip on your shoulder for the new year,” Miami defensive back Daryl Porter Jr. said. “You always want to get back — I would say it wouldn’t be revenge — but I feel like we’ll be ready this time.”
The Tigers are not the invincible, near-inevitable ACC champion-type team that they have been in years past under coach Dabo Swinney. Clemson dropped its season opener to Duke. It was a surprising loss at the time, as the Tigers were 12-point favorites and had not lost to the Blue Devils since 2004. But mistakes cost Clemson, and Duke held the Tigers to seven points.
Offensive struggles have been a trend for Clemson through the first half of the year. The Tigers have averaged 32.2 points per game this year, which ranks 45th in the nation. But in four games against Power 5 competition, Clemson has averaged only 19.75 points. For comparison, Miami has averaged 33 points in three games against Power 5 competition.
That does not mean the Tigers are devoid of talent on offense. Cade Klubnik, Clemson’s second-year quarterback, is a former five-star prospect, and he has thrown for 1,370 yards and 11 touchdowns with just two interceptions. He has also rushed for 120 net yards (216 yards with sacks taken out) and three touchdowns.
“Quarterback’s good,” UM defensive coordinator Lance Guidry said. “He’s fast. He may be the fastest quarterback we’ve played. That catches your attention.”
Against North Carolina, the Hurricanes surrendered 235 yards on the ground. Running back Omarion Hampton rushed for 197 of those yards. Miami’s task does not get much easier this week. Clemson running backs Will Shipley (5-11, 210 pounds) and Phil Mafah (6-1, 230) are bruising options in the backfield. Shipley has 450 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 91 carries. Mafah has 341 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 52 carries. Shipley also has a pair of receiving touchdowns.
“The defense has got to stand up,” Miami safety Kamren Kinchens said. We’ve got to make plays that come to us and continue to make the routine plays. We just can’t give up explosives too much.”
Clemson’s offense may have had issues in some games this year, but the Tigers’ defense has had no such problems. Clemson ranks 28th in scoring defense and fifth in yards allowed per game. The Tigers are ninth in run defense and 14th in pass defense.
That makes for a tough task for Miami’s offense, which scored just 20 points against Georgia Tech before notching 31 against UNC. The Hurricanes ran for just 91 yards against the Tar Heels, which was their second-lowest total of the year. Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who was “banged up” against UNC, has thrown five interceptions in his last two games.
“Very talented team. Fast, they’re athletic, big up front, really skilled on the back end. They play good football. I think that’s what it comes down to. Not only are they good athletes, but they play really, really good football. So again, we’re just going to have to lock into ourselves. We trust coach (Shannon) Dawson, the offense, and we’ll get the job done.”
A win in this game would be crucial for the Hurricanes. It would prevent the Hurricanes from a three-game losing streak and would help right the ship as Miami starts the second half of the season.
“I think what’s very clear to us is, yeah, we’ve made a lot of progress as a team,” Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal said. “Offensively and defensively, the improvement, statistically, is staggering. It’s really, really, good. But we’ve made some really good plays in some critical moments and we’ve hurt ourselves in some critical moments. And when I say that, I mean at all levels.
“We take everything as players and as coaches, and that is very tangible. That’s something that you can see on film. That’s something that you feel, obviously, when the things are good and when you feel the consequences. So I think whenever it’s real, then moving forward is something that is — it’s never easy — but the challenge and the approach to it is very real.”