Smith, Brown snap records in #1 Clemson's blowout of #9 Virginia Tech
Clemson Football News
Junior RB Ray Smith ran for a career-high 6 TDs and senior DE Matt Brown became the NCAA's career sack leader as #1 Clemson embarrassed #9 Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, 59-7. Smith scored all of his TDs in the 1st half as the Tigers built a 49-0 halftime advantage and never looked back.
Smith, still trying to return to the form he displayed as a true freshman, showed some of that today in arguably the most dominating performance of his career. The junior RB ran for a season-high 223 yards on only 21 carries and came out for the 2nd half in street clothes.
Brown, a dark horse Heisman candidate out of a position that has never won it, recorded 2 sacks on the day and broke the NCAA career mark for sacks in the process. Brown's 67th sack broke the mark last held by BYU DE Terrell Porter, a former player for Coach Borland. Brown now has 21 sacks on the season and could break the NCAA single-season mark also.
Senior QB Jerry McLaughlin didn't have to do much thanks to Smith's running, but he still threw for 224 yards and a 61-yard TD on 14-of-16 passing. Senior WR Tim Johnson was his top reciever, totaling 194 yards and the 3rd-quarter TD catch. McLaughlin, Johnson and the rest of the 1st team offense left the game early in the 3rd quarter with the score 56-0.
Virginia Tech got their lone score midway through the 4th quarter when RB Kareem Sowell scored on an 8-yard run. Sowell was the only bright spot for the Hokies, rushing for 64 yards.
Clemson finishes their road trip next week at Georgia Tech. The Tigers won 63-13 last season.
Box Score
VT 0 : 0 : 0 : 7 - 7
CLEM 21 : 28 : 7 : 3 - 59
1st Quarter
CLEM --- R. Smith 21 run (Branch kick)
CLEM --- R. Smith 38 run (Branch kick)
CLEM --- Terrell 67 punt return (Branch kick)
2nd Quarter
CLEM --- R. Smith 51 run (Branch kick)
CLEM --- R. Smith 20 run (Branch kick)
CLEM --- R. Smith 5 run (Branch kick)
CLEM --- R. Smith 6 run (Branch kick)
3rd Quarter
CLEM --- T. Johnson 61 pass from McLaughlin (Branch kick)
4th Quarter
VT --- Sowell 8 run (Atkins kick)
CLEM --- Branch 43 FG
Team Stats
1st Downs:
VT --- 15 ... CLEM --- 22
Total Offense:
VT --- 213 ... CLEM --- 471
Rushes-Yards:
VT --- 35-94 ... CLEM --- 39-243
Passing (C-A-I):
VT --- 12-20-2 ... CLEM --- 14-18-0
Passing Yards:
VT --- 119 ... CLEM --- 228
Times Sacked:
VT --- 8 ... CLEM --- 2
3rd Down Conversions:
VT --- 3-9 ... CLEM --- 6-9
Turnovers:
VT --- 3 ... CLEM --- 0
Individual Stats
VIRGINIA TECH
Gabriel Leach, QB --- 9 - 17 - 87 yds, 2 INT; 15 att. - 2 yds
Kareem Sowell, RB --- 14 att. - 64 yds, TD
Nick Young, WR --- 3 rec. - 26 yds
Josh Lucas, WR --- 2 rec. - 23 yds
Paul McCauley, WR --- 2 rec. - 22 yds
Adam Walker, CB --- 13 tkls
Chris Barr, MLB --- 9 tkls (1 TFL)
Victor Bryant, OLB --- 5 tkls (1 TFL)
Andre Bradford, FS --- 5 tkls (1 TFL), 1 sack
Drew Bradford, MLB --- 4 tkls (1 TFL)
CLEMSON
Jerry McLaughlin, QB --- 14 - 16 - 224 yds, 1 TD
Troy Jones, QB --- 1 - 3 - 13 yds
Ray Smith, RB --- 21 att. - 223 yds, 6 TD (played 1st half only)
Derek Westerman, RB --- 9 att. - 25 yds
Fred Slater, RB --- 6 att. - 15 yds
Tim Johnson, WR --- 10 rec. - 194 yds, TD
Andrew Pettit, MLB --- 8 tkls (1 TFL), 1 sack
Albert Speaks, DT --- 6 tkls (1 TFL)
Joe Larkins, CB --- 6 tkls
Matt Brown, DE --- 5 tkls (2 TFL), 2 sacks, FR
Rasheed Butler, CB --- 4 tkls
Ray Carter, FS --- 4 tkls, INT
Ken Clark, OLB --- 3 tkls (3 TFL), 3 sacks, INT
Craig Terrell, WR --- 76
PR yds, TD