Reality conquered the hype.
Seventh-ranked University of Miami wanted this one badly. The Hurricanes scrapped and fought and were bloodied in the process, but No. 1 Clemson easily remains the king of college football.
Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence and a brutally tough, fired up Clemson defense dominated the Hurricanes 42-17 Saturday night at Memorial Stadium to once again flex their muscles over the nation. Clemson extended its longest active FBS winning streak for regular-season games to 33 and the longest active streak for home games to 25.
Clemson (4-0, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), which won national titles in 2016 and 2018 and was the runner-up to LSU last season, has not lost a regular-season game since October 2017 to Syracuse.
The Hurricanes (3-1, 2-1) blocked three field goals (two by Bubba Bolden and one by Jared Harrison-Hunte), one of which was returned for a touchdown by cornerback D.J. Ivey. But they were otherwise thwarted consistently nearly the entire night. Quarterback D'Eriq King was sacked four times and threw his first two interceptions of the season.
UM didn't score its first offensive touchdown until 8:31 of the final quarter, a 7-yard scramble by King to cut Clemson's lead to 35-17.
King had his worst game as a Hurricane: 12 of 28 for 121 yards and no touchdowns, with the two picks. He rushed 14 times for 84 yards.
His supporting cast was even worse. Miami's running backs combined for 11 yards on 10 carries.
Lawrence was befitting of his projected No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick status, completing 29 of 41 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns. He added 34 yards and a touchdown rushing.
And Clemson tailback Travis Etienne looked like the best running back in the nation, with 17 carries for 149 yards and two touchdowns _ plus eight catches for 73 yards.
UM's starting wide receivers had combined for four catches for 41 yards by the time Clemson had scored its final touchdown.
Miami committed 15 penalties for 135 yards.
To make matters more depressing, the Canes apparently lost top tight end Brevin Jordan to what appeared to be a right shoulder or upper arm injury midway through the third quarter. And midway through the fourth quarter, left tackle John Campbell went down clutching his braced right knee. He was later seen lightly jogging on the sideline.
The Canes will learn Sunday how far they drop in the polls, but they can still rebound in a season that has been as unpredictable as any in history because of the coronavirus pandemic. In light of the pandemic, the ACC's usual Atlantic and Coastal divisions were temporarily scrapped for a format that puts all ACC teams, including Notre Dame for 2020, in one 15-team division. The two ACC teams with the highest winning percentages in conference games at the end of the regular season will meet in the ACC Championship game (likely Dec. 19), which means UM could have a rematch with the Tigers.
For now, the Canes must regroup before being host to Pittsburgh for a noon kickoff Saturday, Oct. 17, at Hard Rock Stadium. But they'll be doing it in the first half without the services of striker Keontra Smith, who was ejected for targeting of Lawrence in the third quarter. Safety Amari Carter was also ejected for targeting in the first half _ which made it even more painful for a defense that already was without safety Gurvan Hall the first half after being ejected for targeting in the second half of UM's previous game.
After one quarter, make that one drive, it was more than apparent that this Clemson machine was in stellar form and the Hurricanes were not an equivalent model.
Clemson outgained Miami 157 yards to 10 in the opening quarter, and King had already been sacked twice. Lawrence started the first drive with seven completions, the seventh a 24-yard touchdown strike to tight end Braden Galloway. The Tigers led 7-0 at 9:50.
A key play in that first drive: UM defensive end Quincy Roche was flagged for offside on fourth-and-4 at the UM 37, a play in which he lunged for what at first appeared to be an interception.
Clemson scored again on the first play of the second quarter to culminate a 16-play, 89-yard drive with a 2-yard plunge by gifted tailback Travis Etienne.
Again, UM could do nothing, and the Tigers wasted a huge opportunity when receiver Frank Ladson, a native Miamian, was all alone and dropped a pass at about the UM 20-yard line. The Tigers were forced to punt, but UM continued its offensive ineptitude and Clemson took over.
On the 10th play of the Tigers drive, BT Potter, who had been 5 for 5 in field goals coming into the game, had his 37-yard attempt blocked by Bubba Bolden, and the Canes had hope again. They took over and got life when King sprinted 56 yards to the Clemson 22. Jose Borregales then put Miami on the scoreboard with his 42-yard field goal to make it 14-3 with 3:53 left in the half.
But Clemson wouldn't stop, and six plays later, Lawrence hit Galloway with the tight end's second touchdown to put the Tigers up 21-3.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney made a decision he'd regret with three seconds left in the first half. At fourth-and-6 from the Miami 44-yard line, he brought in Potter to attempt a 61-yard field goal. But UM redshirt freshman Jared Harrison-Hunte blocked the kick with his right hand and it landed in the arms of Canes cornerback D.J. Ivey, who sprinted down the right side for a shocking touchdown.
Suddenly, as the half ended, Clemson's lead was cut to 21-10.
"That was a terrible decision by me,'' Swinney told the sideline reporter at halftime. "It ain't nobody's fault but mine _ a terrible coaching decision.''
In the end, it didn't make a difference.
