PITTSBURGH (93.7 THE Fan) – It was a crazy game that lasted nearly four hours. From tackles for loss, to clutch late drives, key penalties and a game-winning run. The BIG plays from the Clemson (8-2) 24-20 win at Pitt (7-3).
1st quarter
· Clemson driving into Pitt territory on the first possession, Nate Matlack with a sack/forced fumble recovered by Rasheem Biles
· Not as much one play, but Pitt going 3 and out after getting the turnover
· 2nd and 9 from their own 8 yard line, Cade Klubnik escapes pressure in the end zone and rolls out with a perfect pass to Antonio Williams for 20 yards to spark a 93 yard drive.
· TD, Klubnik 14 yards to Williams in triple coverage (8 plays, 93 yards, 3:31), 7-0
· All the early momentum with the Tigers, Nate Yarnell hits Raphael Williams for 24 yards on the 1st play of the drive
· Next play, Desmond Reid bounces outside left for 43 yards
· TD, after a pass interference on Clemson on 3rd down, senior Daniel Carter runs for 2 yards (5 plays, 75 yards, 1:58), 7-7
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2nd quarter
· Pitt defensive end Chief Borders was just getting his hands on Klubnik, but the QB stood in the pocket and completed a 45-yard seam pass to Wesco
· TD, next play, Klubnik post to Williams from 28 yards, wide open (3 plays, 75 yards, 1:07), 14-7
· Next Pitt series, three plays of negative yardage and a punt
· More an oddity than big plays, Pitt committed three consecutive offsides penalties to turned a 3rd and 21 to a 3rd and 6 and allowed Clemson to pin Pitt back at the own 10-yard line
· 3rd and 2 from Pitt at the Panthers 42-yard line, Reid stuffed by Clemson safety RJ Mickens for -2 yards forcing a punt that would turn into 3 points
· FG, Clemson able to go 39 yards on 9 plays with 1 timeout left ending in a Nolan Hauser 51-yard field goal, 17-7
3rd quarter
· Yarnell finds Reid in the seem for 34 yards, an ankle tackle by Barrett Carter prevented a touchdown
· Next play, Clemson's TJ Parker sacks Yarnell and forces a fumble recovered by Jahiem Lawson, Tigers get the ball at the Pitt 47
· Senior Brandon George sacks Klubnik for -13 yards on 3rd down to nullify turnover
· Yarnell hits Kenny Johnson for 27 yards on 3rd and 10
· Derrick Davis gains 2 yards on 4th and 1
4th quarter
· Pitt had it at the Clemson 1-yard line, called timeout as they ran a play that scored at touchdown. Then 3 consecutive penalties (illegal formation, delay of game, false start)
· FG, Ben Sauls 35-yard field goal (17 plays, 68 ayrds, 8:32), 17-10
· TD, after a big 3rd down conversion, a pass interference penalty, Yarnell with a pretty touch pass of 8 yards to senior Gavin Barholomew (7 plays, 58 yards, 3:22), 17-17
· Pitt stuffed Phil Mafah on 3rd and 1, Jimmy Scott forced a fumble that rolled out of bounds short of a first down on 4th and 1
· Yarnell hit in the head, initially not called, there was a delay due to a Pitt player injury and then eventually they flagged Clemson for personal foul
· Great play call on 3rd and 2, Reid brought in motion and wide open for a 14-yard gain
· FG, after losing 13 yards on three plays, Ben Sauls drills a 47-yarder (8 plays, 26 yards, 2:41), 20-17 Pitt
· No timeouts left, Klubnik starts the drive at the Tigers 25-yard-line with an 18-yard pass to Williams
· TD, quarterback draw, Klubnik outruns Pitt D for 50 yards (3 plays, 75 yards, 0:20), 24-20 Clemson
· Completions to Kenny Johnson, Bartholomew and Williams get it down to the Clemson 26 yard-line, Tigers held on a pair of incompletions and then an interception on the final play to end the game