Painter’s Preview: Clemson vs. Stanford
Clemson enters Week 5 of the College Football season ranked No. 17 eyeing to move to 2-0 in ACC play against one of the ACC newcomers, the Stanford Cardinal. Stanford enters the game 2-1and 1-0 in ACC play after upsetting Syracuse on the road this past weekend. Our Tigers hope to continue the momentum gained from the past two explosive games in Stanford’s introduction to Death Valley. This is the second ever match-up between the two with the first coming in the 1986 Gator Bowl where Clemson won 27-21 (Grausz). Clemson will hope to stretch their win streak against the Cardinal, while continuing their newfound offensive masterclass, led by Quarterback Cade Klubnik.
Clemson Preview:
The Clemson Offense seems to have found themselves after their poor showing against Georgia in Week 1. The Clemson Offense has been propelled by strong Quarterback play from Cade Klubnik, who now has the 3rd best QBR in the entire country despite his mediocre performance against UGA (ESPN). His QBR tops those from top Quarterbacks Carson Beck (UGA), Jaxson Dart (Miss), Dillon Gabriel (ORE), and Quinn Ewers (TEX). Klubnik is oozing confidence, and it is enabling Clemson Fans, including myself, to regain their original hope for this team to restore Clemson’s name in the College Football Elite. Expect the Tigers to allow Klubnik to air it out early against a Stanford Secondary that has struggled to slow down the pass. This offense has a lot more names to praise as well. The Offensive Line has performed at an incredibly high level so far, and they have only allowed Klubnik to only be sacked 2 times, both against UGA. Their pass protection is not the only impressive stat because the Tigers as a team are averaging 6.3 yards a carry, and star Running Back Phil Mafah is averaging 8.6 (ESPN). The Offensive Line along side Klubnik has vastly improved so far this season, and both will have a tough task against a veteran Stanford Front 7 that sacked Syracuse 4 times this past weekend. The OL will also have a tough task in blocking the run game against the Cardinal, as they have given up an average of only 65 rushing yds/g against their power conference opponents (ESPN). So far this season, Clemson has not had to rely on RB Phil Mafah to be the powerhouse he was near the end of last season. Through 3 games Mafah only has 33 carries, and it is not expected that the Tigers will fully rely on him against the Cardinal either (ESPN). Stanford’s tough rushing defense will inhibit the opportunities Mafah will see in the rushing attack; however, I do not expect Phil Mafah and the OL to slow down anytime soon. Clemson’s Receiving Corps has also looked the part these past few weeks as they have showcased a lot of the talent within the group. RS/So Antonio Williams has led the way as he is the clear number one guy within this room. Williams caught two TDs against the Wolfpack, and his great route-running is awesome to watch (ESPN). The other obvious players to highlight are the stellar Freshmen Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore, but the improvement from Clemson’s other targets are worth mentioning. Wide Receiver’s Troy Stellato (Jr), Cole Turner (RS/So), and Adam Randall (Jr) have looked to have stepped up their game with the increased competition from the newcomers. These guys have proved their worth within Clemson’s Offense, and the Clemson Receiving Corps has returned back to its true deep form. Expect Clemson’s Offense to not skip a beat against the Cardinal in a Death Valley night-game where the fans will be hyped to see this team play again. Clemson’s OL play will be interesting to watch against the underrated Stanford Front 7.
Clemson’s Defense has taken a backseat role with attention paid to the Offense, which has been sparking for the first time in 4 years. However, the starters on this Defense have been performing at a high level as well. While there was still a substantial amount of defensive starters in the game against N.C. State, the Wolfpack was limited to 14 points; however, he Clemson depth still poses a concern for the Tigers, as they gave up 21 points to the Wolfpack in the 4th Quarter alone. The starters were dominant in stopping the rushing attack from N.C. State, and they were able to slow down star Receiver K.C. Concepcion thanks to CB Avieon Terrell. The Defense took the life out the Wolfpack by creating turnovers, and they will look to do the same against the turnover prone QB Ashton Daniels. Star Defensive End T.J. Parker was able to introduce himself to the Wolfpack QB on two occasions, obtaining the only Tiger sacks of the game (ESPN). Against Stanford, the Tiger Defense will need to look to slow down the QB run game and limit the opportunities given to another stellar WR Elic Ayomanor. The Tigers will be getting DL Peter Woods back for this game, as he sat out this past game due to injuries, and it will be interesting to see how the Stanford Offense attacks the newly formed Defensive End for the Tigers. The Clemson Linebackers will have a tough task in slowing down Daniels in the run game on Saturday. This is the first true rushing threat at Quarterback that the Tigers have faced all season, and it will be fascinating to see how the Clemson Linebackers fair against it. Senior LB Barrett Carter will have a lot on his shoulders this week as he has still yet to have that stellar performance. The Clemson Secondary will also be challenged this week. As mentioned before, Stanford possesses one of the top targets in the ACC in Wide Receiver Elic Ayomanor. The Secondary was able to slow down N.C. State’s K.C. Concepcion, and they will need to limit the opportunities given to Ayomanor to decelerate the Stanford Offense who is dependent upon him. The Tigers forced 3 turnovers in each of these past two games, and the Secondary will need to force the Cardinal QB into mistakes to take the life out of Stanford early. The Stanford QB has thrown at least one interception against each of his power conference opponents, and the Tiger Secondary will be hunting to continue that trend (ESPN). The Tiger Defense as a whole has yet to play a complete dominant game, but they are gearing up to accomplish that task as they welcome Stanford to Death Valley.
Stanford Preview:
Stanford is looking to continue their upsets as their enter Death Valley for their second ACC game ever after upsetting Syracuse on the road this past weekend. The Cardinal are led by Junior Quarterback Ashton Daniels, who has been lacking so far throughout this season. Daniels has yet to take the leap in his second year that has been demonstrated by Cade Klubnik. Daniels has thrown for 562 passing yds, 4 TDs, 3 INTs, with a 61.5% completion percentage; however, Daniels main threat so far has been his presence in the run game. Against Stanford’s two power conference opponents, Daniels rushed the football a combined 30 times for 132 yds (ESPN). Because of the Cardinal’s lack of depth within their Receiving Corps, Stanford’s ability to win in the Valley will rely on the pressure Daniels can put on the Clemson Defense with his legs. Stanford’s rushing production so far this year has been backed by two Freshmen making their presence felt early. Last season the Cardinal struggled to get their Running Backs production as their top RB rusher finished last season with a mere 218 yards (College Football Reference). Behind Daniels, who is currently leading the Cardinal in rushing yards, true Freshmen Chris Davis Jr. and Micah Ford have filled the RB role for Stanford. Chris Davis Jr. has stood out between the two as he has received less carries than Ford, yet he has gained 71 more yards than Ford (ESPN). These two newcomers have given the Cardinals a trusting one-two punch in their backfield so far this season, and they look to be the future of this Offense. The Cardinal Receiving Corps has very limited depth as they lost their top TE Ben Yurosek to Georgia through the transfer portal during the off-season. Despite this small Receiving Corps, Stanford possesses one of the top Wideouts in the ACC in RS/So Elic Ayomanor (“NFL Draft Guide, Mock Drafts, News | Ourlads’ NFL Scouting Services”). Ayomanor accounted for 45% of Daniels’ passing yds last season, catching 62 passes for 1013 yds and 6 TDs. So far this season, he still leads the Cardinals in receiving yds catching 17 passes for 234 yds and 1 TD (ESPN). Ayomanor poses another tough challenge for the Tiger Defense following Clemson’s match-up against N.C. State and star WR K.C. Concepcion. The Stanford Offensive Line faces a tough challenge against a well-known Tiger front that has been accustomed to sacking opposing Quarterbacks. Their OL is led by two RS/Sr’s Center Levi Rogers and Connor McLaughlin. These two lead a group of just Sophomores, and they have given up 6 sacks through the first 3 games of the year (ESPN). After allowing 4 sacks in Week 1 against TCU, the OL looked much improved this past Friday against the Orange allowing only 1 sack (ESPN). The Cardinal OL will be vital to keeping the Cardinal Offense on schedule on the road against the Tigers.
The strong part of this Stanford team has been their defense through their first three games. The Cardinal Defense returns 6 of 7 of their top tacklers from last season, and this veteran Defense has given up an average of 21.7 points per game so far this season (ESPN). The Stanford Defense is led by Senior LB Gaethan Bernadel who plays with 7 other fellow upperclassmen. The Defense’s strength so far this season has been limiting rushing production while also forcing turnovers to help their developing Offense. In their games against TCU and Syracuse, the Cardinal allowed 104 rushing yds and 26 rushing yds respectively (ESPN). They also forced two turnovers in both of these games, assisting in deflating their opponent. Stanford did not come out on top against TCU as they lost 34-27 ,and their defensive efforts were unsuccessful; however, the Cardinal’s great effort in stopping the run against the Orange led them to a 26-24 upset win (ESPN). It will be interesting to see how they treat a Clemson Offense that has looked extremely dynamic in their past two games running and throwing the ball. The weaker side of the Cardinal Defense lies in their Secondary. In both of their power conference games, they allowed for over 330 passing yds in each (ESPN). The Tiger Offense will look to attack this side of the Cardinal Defense with their revamped passing attack led by much improved QB Cade Klubnik. Stanford will need to attack the Quarterback as they did against Syracuse as they sacked Kyle McCord a total of 4 times throughout the game (ESPN). These efforts led to a Cardinal win because they were able to throw the Orange off schedule throughout the game on the road. The match-up between Clemson’s revamped Offensive Line and the veteran Cardinal Defense will be interesting to watch. It will be an important aspect of the game for either team to gain an advantage because it will most likely led to a win for either team.
Keys to a Tiger Victory:
Establish the Run: As mentioned above, the Stanford Front performed incredibly well in stopping the rushing attack from TCU and Syracuse. They limited the two to 104 rushing yds and 26 rushing yds respectively (ESPN). Both of these games ended in one score affairs for the Cardinals, with them earning a victory on the road against the Cuse. I believe Stanford’s savior in both games on the defensive side was their ability to stop the run. If Clemson can establish the run early, it will take the life out of the Cardinal Defense’s sails and allow for Clemson to be more diverse on Offense. Clemson has yet to rely on RB Phil Mafah, and they do not need to rely on him Saturday. However, they do need to get him involved early to break that Stanford front in the run game. The run game also lies on the OL’s shoulders as they will have to chance to create opportunities for Mafah, Klubnik, etc. The Tigers have averaged 189 rushing yds/g so far, and if that trend can continue it will be hard for Stanford to stop the run along side Clemson’s newfound passing attack (ESPN).
Limit QB Run Opportunities: Stanford’s QB Ashton Daniels leads them in rushing yards despite also having 49 sack yards (ESPN). This is the Tiger’s first match-up against a true dual-threat Quarterback, and if Stanford is unsuccessful in the QB run game then it will be extremely difficult for them to win the in the Valley. Look for the Linebackers and parts of the Secondary at times to accomplish this feat with their pursuit to Daniels once he begins to run. My eyes are on Senior Linebacker Barrett Carter who has yet to have that stand-out performance. Expect him, LB Wade Woodaz, and LB Sammy Brown to be the first players involved in stopping Daniels. Through 3 games, the true Freshman Sammy Brown leads the Tigers in tackles, and his ability to tackle in the open field can help Clemson slow down the Cardinal QB (ESPN).
0 Sacks Taken: During Stanford’s last contest against Syracuse, they were able to sack QB Kyle McCord 4 times throughout the game (ESPN). This effort gave them an opportunity to win the game against the Orange because of Stanford’s ability to throw Syracuse off-schedule. Just like in the run-game, the Clemson Offensive Line will play a vital role in keeping Cade Klubnik clean just as they have the previous two games. In these last two dominant Clemson wins, the Offense has been able to stay on-schedule for a majority of their plays. The Cardinals’ veteran Front 7 possess the ability to throw the Tiger Offense off their game by causing disruption within the pocket. The OL has a huge task this week in creating running opportunities and keeping the pocket clean. A clean pocket creates a confident and comfortable Cade Klubnik that has been able to slaughter opposing defenses these past two games. Look for the OL’s match-up against the underrated and tough Stanford Defense in the Valley Saturday to determine who will come out on top.
Tiger Watch: Offensive Line
Just as mentioned above, the Tiger Offensive Line has a challenge in front of them this week. The Stanford Defense has not only proven their ability to stop the run, but they have also shown that they can pressure the Quarterback quite often. The OL is my Tiger Watch this week because their improved play has increased my confidence in them for this season. They have been an important part of this 2020 style Offense that some people may not notice. Their toughest challenge since Georgia is in front of them now, and it will be interesting to see how they performance against the Cardinal. They will be vital in sustaining the Cade Klubnik we have seen the last two games, and they will also be creating the running lanes for Phil Mafah. Their ability to dictate the Line-of-Scrimmage will go a long way in determining the outcome of this affair between Clemson and Stanford.
Painter’s Prediction:
Clemson has impressed all who have watched these past two games, and I expect that trend to continue this week. The game between these two takes place during nighttime at Death Valley, and the fans will be rocking and ready for this 7 o’clock kick. Cade Klubnik has turned himself into a possible Heisman Candidate if he continues this play, and the Clemson Starting Defense has still looked great so far. Because of these factors, I expect the Tigers to come out on-top of the Cardinals in a 48-13 game. The current spread of the game is set at -21.5 in favor of the Tigers, and my score prediction says to take Clemson to cover that number. My current record of predictions so far are 3-0, and my record ATS so far is 2-1.
Sources:
ESPN. “ESPN.” ESPN.com, 2019, www.espn.com/.
College Football Reference. “Stanford @ Hawaii.” College Football at Sports-Reference.com, 2023, www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/stanford/2023.html. Accessed 22 Sept. 2024.
“NFL Draft Guide, Mock Drafts, News | Ourlads’ NFL Scouting Services.” Ourlads.com, 2024, www.ourlads.com/.
Grausz, Dylan. “Kickoff Time and TV Channel for Stanford Football’s Game against Clemson.” Stanford Cardinal on SI, Sports Illustrated, 18 Sept. 2024, www.si.com/college/stanford/football/kickoff-time-and-tv-channel-for-stanford-football-s-game-against-clemson-01j80q50x921#:~:text=The%20first%20time%20was%20in. Accessed 22 Sept. 2024.