The Clemson Tigers have not had the easiest time winning on the road. The Tigers improved on that Saturday night against the Louisville Cardinals, defeating them 30-24 at Cardinal Stadium.
Clemson’s quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei’s 8-yard touchdown run, with 4:12 remaining in the game, guided the Tigers to the victory. The second year signal caller also completed 18 of 30 passes for a season-high 220 yards and two touchdowns, which was a war of attrition between the two programs. Both starting quarterbacks missed snaps during the game due to injuries.
Uiagalelei sprained a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in his right knee, which forced him to miss time in the second quarter. He returned to the game wearing a protective brace on his knee, for the final drive of the second quarter, which concluded with an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Davis Allen that squared the game at 17.
Also injured was Louisville’s quarterback Malik Cunningham. He missed part of the second half with an ankle injury, but returned in the fourth quarter.
Injuries also hit running backs Will Shipley and Kobe Pace, who came into the game as the top rushers for Clemson. Pace left the game in the opening quarter after entering the concussion protocol, while Shipley eventually returned to the contest.
Clemson received the ball at the beginning of the third quarter and the offensive line continued to have their struggles. A third down sack went unchallenged when a defender got to Uiagalelei and ended the possession. On a drive by the Cardinals on 3rd and 2, Cunningham ran a quarterback option play and went unblemished for a 51-yard score. Louisville led 24-17.
Cunningham returned to the game after the ankle injury, but Clemson kept him in check. The punt was fielded at the Tigers 43. Clemson’s backup quarterback Taisun Phommachanh, after running 26 yards in the first half, returned and got a pass interference call on a throw to WR Justin Ross. Uiagalelei returned to the game and a few plays later, limped into the end zone and gave the Tigers a slim lead, 27-24.
The Cardinals ran the ball to set up a 3rd and 6 play. Cunningham could not complete the pass to his open receiver. They had to go for it on 4th down and coverage by the secondary forced Cunningham to have to run for his life. Andrew Mukuba stopped him in his tracks and Clemson got the ball back on downs at the Cardinals 25 yard line, with just under three minutes remaining in the game. Place kicker B.T. Potter kicked the field goal to give Clemson a 30-24 advantage. The Cardinals could not respond on their last drive attempt and with 10 seconds left, the Tigers took a knee and won the game.
As the team is positioning for a strong end to a season that won’t end with a customary spot in the College Football Playoff, Uiagalelei said Saturday was a great way to start the final month of the regular season.
“We’re hitting our stride right now,” he said. “We’re almost there.”
The Louisville Cardinals host the Syracuse Orange on Saturday. The Clemson Tigers host the Connecticut Huskies on Saturday.
