2011 Clemson Tigers football team

American college football season August 2023 January 2026 football 2011 Clemson Tigers Clemson Tigers logo.svg 125 Atlantic Coast Conference Atlantic Division ACC 22 22 10–4 6–2 Dabo Swinney 3rd full, 4th overall Chad Morris 1st Kevin Steele 3rd Charlie Harbison 4th Spread 4–3 Memorial Stadium ACC championACC Atlantic Division champion Orange Bowl L Lost 33–70 vs. West Virginia ACC Championship W Won 38–10 vs. Virginia Tech The 2011 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Dabo Swinney in his third full year and fourth overall since taking over midway through 2008 season. They played their home games at Memorial Stadium, known as "Death Valley". They were members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Clemson finished the previous season 6–7, losing in the Meineke Car Care Bowl to South Florida. They began the 2011 season unranked, but after a three-game winning streak against ranked opponents in late September, rose to #8 in the AP and Coaches Poll. However, the surprise Tigers lost three of their final four regular-season contests (with two of the losses to unranked opponents); they fell back to #21 in these polls. However, their early start was enough to clinch a spot in the 2011 ACC Championship Game. They won that game with an unexpectedly dominant performance over Virginia Tech, 38–10. In the process, they won their first ACC title since 1991, and with it an automatic berth in the 2012 Orange Bowl. It was the Tigers' first-ever Bowl Championship Series berth, as well as their first major-bowl appearance since the 1982 Orange Bowl. They lost the game in historic fashion to West Virginia by a score of 70–33, setting a bowl record for points conceded in a game. Schedule 2011 AP Eastern September 3 3:30 p.m. w y Troy Memorial Stadium Clemson, SC ESPN3 43–19 73,458 September 10 3:30 p.m. w y Wofford 7 (FCS) Memorial Stadium Clemson, SC ESPN3 35–27 74,538 September 17 12:00 p.m. w y Auburn 21 rivalry Memorial Stadium Clemson, SC ABC 38–24 81,514 September 24 3:30 p.m. w 21 Florida State 11 rivalry Memorial Stadium Clemson, SC ESPN 35–30 80,994 October 1 6:00 p.m. w y 13 Virginia Tech 11 Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA ESPN2 23–3 66,233 October 8 3:00 p.m. w y 8 Boston College Memorial Stadium Clemson, SC O'Rourke–McFadden Trophy ACCRSN 36–14 76,315 October 15 7:00 p.m. w y 8 Maryland Byrd Stadium College Park, MD ESPNU 56–45 47,961 October 22 12:00 p.m. w 8 North Carolina Memorial Stadium Clemson, SC ESPN 59–38 80,519 October 29 8:00 p.m. l y 6 Georgia Tech Bobby Dodd Stadium Atlanta, GA rivalry ABC 17–31 55,646 November 12 12:00 p.m. w 9 Wake Forest Memorial Stadium Clemson, SC ESPNU 31–28 78,375 November 19 3:30 p.m. l y 7 NC State Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC Textile Bowl ABC/ESPN 13–37 57,583 November 26 7:45 p.m. l y y 18 South Carolina 14 Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC rivalry ESPN 13–34 83,422 December 3 8:00 p.m. w y 21 Virginia Tech 5 Bank of America Stadium Charlotte, NC ACC Championship Game ESPN 38–10 73,675 January 4, 2012 8:30 p.m. l y y 14 West Virginia 23 Sun Life Stadium Miami Gardens, FL Orange Bowl ESPN 33–70 67,563 Depth chart Single Set Back 3-4 Yes Yes No Tajh Boyd Cole Stoudt Andre Ellington Mike Bellamy DeAndre Hopkins Martavis Bryant Sammy Watkins Adam Humphries Jaron Brown Charone Peake Dwayne Allen Brandon Ford Phillip Price Brandon Thomas Brandon Thomas David Smith Dalton Freeman Mason Cloy Antoine McClain Mason Cloy Landon Walker Gifford Timothy Quandon Christian Daniel Andrews Corico Hawkins Stephone Anthony Jonathan Willard Tony Steward Rashard Hall Carlton Lewis Jonathan Meeks Robert Smith (safety) Coty Sensabaugh Bashaud Breeland Xavier Brewer Darius Robinson Andre Branch Corey Crawford Brandon Thompson Tyler Shatley Rennie Moore DeShawn Williams Malliciah Goodman Kourtnei Brown Chandler Catanzaro Dawson Zimmerman Sammy Watkins DeAndre Hopkins Michael Sobeski Dawson Zimmerman D.J. Howard 85 85 No Recruiting class no yes 2011 Sammy Watkins WR Fort Myers, Florida South Fort Myers 6 1 180 - 5 5 5 4 Charone Peake WR Roebuck, South Carolina Dorman H.S. 6 4 205 — 4 4 4 5 Tony Steward LB Saint Augustine, Florida Pedro Menendez H.S. 6 2 220 — 4 5 5 5 Stephone Anthony LB Wadesboro, North Carolina Anson H.S. 6 3 220 5 5 5 4 Mike Bellamy (running back) RB Punta Gorda, Florida Charlotte 5 10 180 — 4 5 4 4 Corey Crawford DE Chatham, Virginia Hargrave Military Academy 6 5 275 — 4 4 4 3 Lateek Townsend LB Bennettsville, South Carolina Marlboro County 6 2 200 - 4 4 4 4 Eric Mac Lain TE Fayetteville, North Carolina Jack Britt 6 4 250 — 4 4 4 3 Cortez Davis S Daytona Beach, Florida Mainland H.S. 6 2 200 — 3 4 3 4 Joe Gore DE Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina East Columbus H.S. 6 6 260 — 3 3 3 3 Tony McNeal QB Chester, South Carolina Chester H.S. 6 1 180 — 3 3 3 3 Shaq Anthony OL Piedmont, South Carolina Wren H.S. 6 4 260 — 3 3 3 3 DeShawn Williams DT Central, South Carolina D.W. Daniel H.S. 6 1 300 — 3 3 3 3 Ryan Norton C Mauldin, South Carolina Mauldin H.S. 6 4 275 — 3 3 3 3 Roderick Byers DE Rock Hill, South Carolina Northwestern H.S. 6 3 262 — 3 3 3 3 Cole Stoudt QB Dublin, Ohio Dublin Coffman 6 4 200 — 3 3 3 3 B. J. Goodson LB Lamar, South Carolina Lamar H.S. 6 2 225 — 2 3 3 3 Grady Jarrett DT Conyers, Georgia Rockdale County H.S. 6 0 282 — 3 3 3 3 Robert Smith (safety) S Dorchester, South Carolina Woodland H.S. 5 11 200 — 3 3 3 2 Ammon Lakip K Alpharetta, Georgia Chattahoochee H.S. 5 11 180 — 3 2 3 3 Jerome Maybank DT Pawleys Island, South Carolina Waccamaw H.S. 6 4 335 — 3 2 3 3 Adam Humphries WR Roebuck, South Carolina Dorman H.S. 5 11 175 — 3 2 3 2 Colton Walls LB Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte Latin School 6 2 230 — 2 2 3 3 Stanton Seckinger WR Charleston, South Carolina Porter-Gaud School 6 4 200 — 2 3 3 2 yes 2011 Clemson Football Commitments 2011 Clemson Football Commits ESPN 11 8 10 8 February 6, 2016 Game summaries Troy 2011 Troy Trojans football team Troy 6 10 0 3 Clemson 13 0 13 17 September 3 Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC 3:30 Joe Davis, Warrick Dunn ESPN3 Clemson opened the season against Troy from the Sun Belt Conference. The Tigers offense had a shaky first half adapting to offensive coordinator Chad Morris's faster new spread set. They were 0-for-8 on third down conversions and had only four first downs. Sophomore quarterback Tajh Boyd had several bad throws and near interceptions as the team were booed off the field at half time. Down 16–13 with 6:56 left in the third quarter, Clemson finally converted their first third down, tight end Dwayne Allen with a 54-yard touchdown pass from Boyd to put the Tigers ahead. On the next drive, Boyd completed all of his passes including a seven-yard touchdown pass to Jaron Brown. The scoring run continued in the fourth quarter, ending in a 43–19 rout. Boyd finished the game 20-for-30 for 364 yards and three touchdowns in his debut as Clemson's starting quarterback. Sammy Watkins had seven catches for 81 yards while Andre Ellington rushed 18 times for 89 yards. Freshmen accounted for 266 of Clemson's 468 yards.Tajh Boyd Throws for Three TDs as Clemson Routs Troy http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312460228 https://web.archive.org/web/20110925165908/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312460228 dead September 25, 2011 ESPN September 3, 2011 October 7, 2011 Wofford 2011 Wofford Terriers football team Wofford 14 7 6 0 Clemson 13 8 7 7 September 10 Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC 3:30 Joe Davis, Warrick Dunn, Angela Mallen ESPN3 In week two, Clemson faced Wofford. The inexperienced Tigers defense struggled to contain Wofford's triple-option offense throughout the game. The Terriers led 21–13 with 4:03 remaining in the second quarter, but Tajh Boyd led a six-play, 72-yard drive and a two-point conversion to tie the game before half time. Wofford's last lead in the game came in the opening series of the second half with a field goal. Clemson scored a touchdown each in the third and fourth quarters before stopping Wofford on fourth-and-2 with 3:30 remaining in the game to hold on for a 35–27 victory. Boyd was 18-for-29 for 261 yards and three touchdowns. Andre Ellington had 22 carries for 165 yards. His 74-yard touchdown run was the longest of his career.Clemson Needs Tajh Boyd's 3 TDs to Get by Wofford http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312530228 https://web.archive.org/web/20110925190840/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312530228 dead September 25, 2011 ESPN September 10, 2011 October 7, 2011 Auburn 2011 Auburn Tigers football team #21 Auburn at Clemson Auburn 14 7 3 0 Clemson 0 21 14 3 September 17 Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC Noon EDT 81,514 Sunny Dave Pasch (Play-by-play), Urban Meyer (Color), Chris Spielman (Sideline), & Quint Kessenich (Sideline) ABC yes 1 10:36 AUB Michael Dyer 52-yard run (Cody Parkey kick) AUB 7–0 1 7:54 AUB Emory Blake 36-yard pass from Barrett Trotter (Cody Parkey kick) AUB 14–0 2 14:56 CLEM DeAndre Hopkins 4-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick) AUB 14–7 2 8:54 AUB Michael Dyer 1-yard run (Cody Parkey kick) AUB 21–7 2 5:06 CLEM Dwayne Allen 6-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick) AUB 21–14 2 1:11 CLEM Andre Ellington 2-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick) Tied 21–21 3 13:45 CLEM Sammy Watkins 65-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick) CLEM 28–21 3 5:00 AUB Cody Parkey 38-yard field goal CLEM 28–24 3 0:16 CLEM Sammy Watkins 19-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick) CLEM 35–24 4 11:48 CLEM Chandler Catanzaro 38-yard field goal CLEM 38–24 yes Clemson faced defending national champions #21 Auburn in week three. Auburn took a 14–0 lead in the first quarter before Tajh Boyd began finding his passing rhythm. Boyd completed 30 of 42 passes for 386 yards and four touchdowns. The game was tied 21–21 at half time, but Clemson's defense restricted Auburn to a field goal in the second half while Boyd threw two touchdown passes to earn a 38–24 win, ending a 17-game winning streak for Auburn. Clemson's offense totaled 624 yards, its record against an SEC opponent. Fans swarmed the field at the end of the game. Coach Dabo Swinney remarked, "I couldn't think of a better place to end the streak than Death Valley, South Carolina, baby."Clemson Upsets Auburn to End Tigers' 17-Game Winning Streak http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312600228 https://web.archive.org/web/20110926041820/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312600228 dead September 26, 2011 ESPN September 17, 2011 October 7, 2011 Florida State 2011 Florida State Seminoles football team Florida State 10 0 7 13 Clemson 14 7 7 7 September 24 Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC 3:30 p.m. EDT 80,994 Sunny Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe/Dave Lamont, Tim Brown, Alyssa Roenigk ESPN/ESPN3D yes 1 10:23 FSU Dustin Hopkins 32-yard field goal FSU 3–0 1 7:47 CLEM Sammy Watkins 24-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick) CLEM 7–3 1 1:54 CLEM Tajh Boyd 1-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick) CLEM 14–3 1 0:14 FSU Rodney Smith 57-yard pass from Clint Trickett (Dustin Hopkins kick) CLEM 14–10 2 11:31 CLEM Dwayne Allen 12-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick) CLEM 21–10 3 13:40 FSU Bjoern Werner 25-yard fumble return (Dustin Hopkins kick) CLEM 21–17 3 3:03 CLEM Andre Ellington 1-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick) CLEM 28–17 4 14:55 FSU Rashad Greene 30-yard pass from Clint Trickett (pass failed) CLEM 28–23 4 13:06 CLEM Sammy Watkins 62-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick) CLEM 35–23 4 7:21 FSU Kenny Shaw 9-yard pass from Clint Trickett (Dustin Hopkins kick) CLEM 35–30 yes Following their victory over Auburn, Clemson entered week four ranked #21. They faced Atlantic Division champions Florida State in their fourth straight home game. FSU were without injured starting quarterback E. J. Manuel. Clemson opened up a 21–10 lead by halftime, and were in control for the rest of the game. Tajh Boyd was 23-for-37 for 344 yards and three touchdowns and had a rushing touchdown. Freshman receiver Sammy Watkins had eight catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns while Andre Ellington rushed for 72 yards.Clemson Upends FSU Behind Tajh Boyd's 3 TD Passes http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312670228 https://web.archive.org/web/20110926135512/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312670228 dead September 26, 2011 ESPN September 24, 2011 October 7, 2011 Virginia Tech Clemson 3 7 7 6 Virginia Tech 0 3 0 0 October 1 Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, VA 6:00 p.m. EDT Mark Jones, Ed Cunningham, Quint Kessenich ESPN2 yes 1 2:12 CLEM Chandler Catanzaro 31-yard field goal CLEM 3–0 2 4:35 VT Courtney Journell 24-yard field goal Tied 3–3 2 1:49 CLEM Andre Ellington 1-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick) CLEM 10–3 3 10:42 CLEM Dwayne Allen 32-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick) CLEM 17–3 4 6:12 CLEM Mike Bellamy 31-yard run (kick failed) CLEM 23–3 yes 2011 Virginia Tech Hokies football team For Clemson's first road game the Tigers traveled to Blacksburg for a matchup with the No. 11 Virginia Tech Hokies. The Tigers' defense turned in its best effort of the season in a 23–3 victory against the No. 11 Hokies. The Clemson defense led by Andre Branch held the Hokies to 258 yards and no touchdowns. Branch had three sacks and was involved in 11 tackles. Tajh Boyd threw one touchdown to Dwayne Allen and one interception while Andre Ellington and Mike Bellamy both recorded a rushing touchdown apiece. This win marked the first time any ACC team had ever beaten three top 25 AP opponents in a row. It was also the second time Virginia Tech had not scored a touchdown in Lane Stadium under Frank Beamer and was the first time since 1995.Clemson Downs Virginia Tech for Third Straight Win Over Ranked Team http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312740259 https://web.archive.org/web/20111004163222/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312740259 dead October 4, 2011 ESPN October 1, 2011 October 19, 2011 Boston College 2011 Boston College Eagles football team Boston College 0 7 7 0 Clemson 17 6 6 7 October 8 Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC Rich Waltz (Play-by-play), Keith Jones (Color), & Jenn Hildreth (Sideline) ACCRSN Clemson's fifth home game of the season was against Boston College. Clemson controlled the Eagles for the majority of the game. Boyd scored 2 touchdowns (1 passing, 1 rushing) before being replaced by Cole Stoudt after suffering a hip injury. Andre Ellington (rushing) and Jaron Brown (receiving) each scored a touchdown, Sammy Watkins recorded 152 receiving yards, while Chandler Catanzaro hit a career-high 5 field goals (38, 42, 28, 20, and 47 yards). This win marked Clemson's best start since 2000.Tajh Boyd Injures Hip While No. 8 Clemson Glides Past Boston College http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312810228 https://web.archive.org/web/20111010223404/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312810228 dead October 10, 2011 ESPN October 8, 2011 October 19, 2011 Maryland 2011 Maryland Terrapins football team #8 Clemson at Maryland Clemson 10 7 18 21 Maryland 14 14 10 7 October 15 Byrd Stadium, College Park, MD 7:00 p.m. EDT Clay Matvick, Brian Griese, Allison Williams ESPNU yes 1 8:25 CLEM Chandler Catanzaro 18-yard field goal CLEM 3–0 1 4:58 MD Davin Meggett 9-yard run (Nick Ferrera kick) MD 7–3 1 2:23 MD Cameron Chism 46-yard interception return (Nick Ferrera kick) MD 14–3 1 1:00 CLEM Andre Ellington 9-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick) MD 14–10 2 13:54 MD Davin Meggett 7-yard pass from C.J. Brown (Nick Ferrera kick) MD 21–10 2 8:38 MD C.J. Brown 21-yard run (Nick Ferrera kick) MD 28–10 2 5:28 CLEM DeAndre Hopkins 6-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick) MD 28–17 3 13:06 MD Matt Furtsenburg 22-yard pass from C.J. Brown (Nick Ferrera kick) MD 35–17 3 10:46 CLEM Sammy Watkins 13-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick) MD 35–24 3 7:27 MD Nick Ferrera 27-yard field goal MD 38–24 3 6:15 CLEM Chandler Catanzaro 23-yard field goal MD 38–27 3 3:25 CLEM Sammy Watkins 15-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Tajh Boyd to Dwayne Allen pass) MD 38–35 4 11:26 CLEM Jaron Brown 12-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick) CLEM 42–38 4 7:35 MD Matt Furtsenberg 32-yard pass from C.J. Brown (Nick Ferrera kick) MD 45–42 4 7:24 CLEM Sammy Watkins 89-yard kickoff return (Chandler Catanzaro kick) CLEM 49–45 4 3:55 CLEM Andre Ellington 44-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick) CLEM 56–45 yes Tajh Boyd threw four touchdown passes, Andre Ellington rushed for a career-high 212 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers, and freshman Sammy Watkins scored three TDs (two passing, one kick-off return) as No. 8 Clemson rallied from an 18-point deficit against Maryland to remain unbeaten with a 56–45 victory. The defense, however, yielded 468 yards and had no answer for sophomore quarterback C.J. Brown, who ran for 162 yards and a touchdown and threw three scoring passes in his first college start. The 18-point deficit was the second largest in Clemson University history. Sammy Watkins also broke the school record for most all-purpose yards in a game (345 yards) held previously by Clemson great C.J. Spiller (312 yards).Clemson Overcomes Upset-Minded Maryland Behind Tajh Boyd's 4 TD Passes http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312880120 https://web.archive.org/web/20111017101632/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312880120 dead October 17, 2011 ESPN October 15, 2011 October 19, 2011 North Carolina 2011 North Carolina Tar Heels football team North Carolina 7 10 7 14 Clemson 10 14 35 0 October 22 Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC 12:00 Dave Pasch, Chris Spielman, Urban Meyer, Quint Kessenich ESPN A 35-point third quarter explosion highlighted Clemson's home win over the Tar Heels, including a 5-touchdown performance by quarterback Tajh Boyd. Defensive end Kourtnei Brown scored two defensive touchdowns, once on an interception and another on a fumble return. Boyd threw for 367 yards and rushed for one touchdown. Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins had 157 yards receiving and a touchdown. Clemson's defense held UNC running back Giovani Bernard to 44 yards rushing, ending his five-game streak of 100 yards or more.Tajh Boyd Tosses 5 TDs to Push No. 7 Clemson Past North Carolina http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312950228 https://archive.today/20120708192956/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312950228 dead July 8, 2012 ESPN October 22, 2011 October 23, 2011 Georgia Tech 2011 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team Clemson 3 0 7 7 Georgia Tech 7 17 7 0 October 29 Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta, GA 8:00 Mike Patrick (Play-by-play), Craig James (Color), & Jenn Brown (Sideline) ABC The Tigers suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta. Georgia Tech's triple option attack was seemingly unstoppable for the Clemson defense as Yellow Jacket quarterback Tevin Washington scampered for 176 yards on 27 carries and a touchdown. Clemson's high-powered offense never left the gates in the first half, although the Tigers made a play for a comeback in the second half with a 48-yard touchdown catch by Sammy Watkins. Following a Rashard Hall interception to the Georgia Tech 9, the Tigers looked to have a chance to rally back, but Tajh Boyd threw an interception in the end zone to Jemea Thomas on the next play. Clemson's four turnovers in the game would ultimately prove to be costly for the Tigers.Tevin Washington Runs for 176 Yards as Georgia Tech Knocks off Clemson http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=313020059 https://web.archive.org/web/20111102040136/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=313020059 dead November 2, 2011 ESPN October 29, 2011 October 30, 2011 Wake Forest 2011 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team Wake Forest 7 0 21 0 Clemson 7 7 7 10 November 12 Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC 12:00 Rob Stone, Danny Kanell ESPNU Clemson clinched its second ACC Atlantic Division title in a nail-biter game against the Demon Deacons in Death Valley. The Tigers' 14–7 third quarter lead quickly deteriorated following a 50-yard Mike Campanaro punt return for Wake Forest. Demon Deacon running back Brandon Pendergrass added two more scores to put Wake Forest up 28–14. Clemson also lost Sammy Watkins for the second half following an injury on a third-quarter kick return. The Tigers, however, rallied back with two touchdown tosses from quarterback Tajh Boyd. Following a missed 47-yard field goal try by Demon Deacon kicker Jimmy Newman, the Tigers orchestrated a drive to set up a 43-yard game-winning kick by Chandler Catanzaro as time expired. With the win, Clemson secured its trip to Charlotte for the ACC Championship Game and finished undefeated at home for the first time since 1990.Late Rally, Last-Second Field Goal Give Clemson ACC Atlantic Division Title http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=313160228 https://web.archive.org/web/20111114001601/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=313160228 dead November 14, 2011 ESPN November 12, 2011 November 11, 2011 North Carolina State 2011 NC State Wolfpack football team Clemson 3 0 3 7 North Carolina State 0 27 10 0 November 19 Carter–Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC 3:30 Mike Patrick, Craig James ABC/ESPN NC State shocked a heavily favored Clemson team in Raleigh, including a dominant 27-point second quarter performance. Wolfpack quarterback Mike Glennon threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns while Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd, despite throwing 238 yards, threw two interceptions, no touchdowns, and was replaced in the 4th quarter by Cole Stoudt. NC State's aggressive pass rush hindered Boyd and Clemson's big play ability throughout the game, and the Tigers' four turnovers to NC State's none proved costly. The Wolfpack stymied Clemson's running game with running back Andre Ellington the team leader at only 28 yards.North Carolina State Surprises Mistake Prone Clemson http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=313230152 https://archive.today/20120717012907/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=313230152 dead July 17, 2012 ESPN November 19, 2011 November 20, 2011 at No. 12 South Carolina (rivalry) 2011 South Carolina Gamecocks football team #fff #eee Clemson Tigers; text-align:center; autocollapse Game Twelve– No. 17 Clemson Tigers (9-2) at No. 12 South Carolina Gamecocks (9-2) – Game summary Saturday, November 26, 2011 7:45p.m. EST No. 17 Clemson 0 10 0 3 No. 12 South Carolina 10 7 7 10 Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina Temperature: • Wind: • Weather: Clear ESPN Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe First quarter (10:23) SC – Jay Wooten 47-yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 48 yards, 4:37; South Carolina 3-0) (6:36) SC – Bruce Ellington 49-yard pass from Connor Shaw (Jay Wooten kick) (Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:52; South Carolina 10-0) Second quarter (11:32) CLEM – Dwayne Allen 9-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick) (Drive: 12 plays, 61 yards, 4:47; South Carolina 10-7) (6:14) CLEM – Chandler Catanzaro 32-yard field goal (Drive: 5 plays, 11 yards, 1:01; Tied 10-10) (1:55) SC – Connor Shaw 15-yard run (Jay Wooten kick) (Drive: 9 plays, 60 yards, 4:19; South Carolina 17-10) Third quarter (9:52) SC – Rory Anderson 2-yard pass from Connor Shaw (Jay Wooten kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 66 yards, 2:18; South Carolina 24-10) Fourth quarter (13:48) CLEM – Chandler Catanzaro 40-yard field goal (Drive: 8 plays, 13 yards, 2:39; South Carolina 24-13) (6:26) SC – Jay Wooten 37-yard field goal (Drive: 14 plays, 50 yards, 7:22; South Carolina 27-13) (5:20) SC – Alshon Jeffery 18-yard pass from Connor Shaw (Jay Wooten kick) (Drive: 2 plays, 19 yards, 0:41; South Carolina 34-13) Statistics CLEMSC First downs 12 19 Total yards 60–153 73–420 Rushing yards 30–70 53–210 Passing yards 117 226 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–30–1 14–20–0 Time of possession 14:03 22:37 Team Category Player StatisticsClemson Passing Tahj Boyd 11/29, 83 yards, TD, INT Rushing Andre Ellington 13 carries, 66 yards Receiving Sammy Watkins 4 receptions, 39 yardsSouth Carolina Passing Connor Shaw 14/20, 210 yards, 3 TD Rushing Connor Shaw 19 carries, 107 yards, TD Receiving Bruce Ellington 3 receptions, 71 yards, TD ACC Championship 2011 ACC Championship Game 2011 Virginia Tech Hokies football team Virginia Tech 7 3 0 0 Clemson 7 3 21 7 December 3 Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC 8:00 Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit, Heather Cox ESPN Although devastating losses to NC State and South Carolina had Clemson's future looking bleak for the rematch against Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship, the Tigers regained their form from earlier in the season to secure their first ACC Championship game win and their first ACC title in 20 years. Quarterback Tajh Boyd threw for 240 yards and three touchdowns, including a 53-yard strike to Sammy Watkins during the Tigers' 21-point third quarter rally. Clemson defense forced three touchdowns and kept the Hokies scoreless in the second half. The defense also held running back David Wilson, the ACC's player of the year, to only 32 yards rushing. Clemson running back Andre Ellington ran for 125 yards and one touchdown on 20 carries. With the win, Clemson solidified its first 10-win season since 1990, a spot in the Orange Bowl and its first BCS bowl bid in school history.Clemson Rips No. 5 Virginia Tech to Win ACC Championship http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=313370228 https://web.archive.org/web/20111207034944/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=313370228 dead December 7, 2011 ESPN December 3, 2011 December 3, 2011 Orange Bowl 2012 Orange Bowl 2011 West Virginia Mountaineers football team West Virginia Clemson 14 35 14 7 17 3 6 7 January 4 Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL EST 8:30 p.m. 67,563 Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Jon Gruden, Lisa Salters/Joe Tessitore, Rod Gilmore, Quint Kessenich ESPN/ESPN Radio yes 1 9:33 CLEM Andre Ellington 68-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick) CLEM 7–0 1 6:54 WVU Shawne Alston 4-yard run (Tyler Bitancourt kick) Tied 7–7 1 4:38 CLEM Sammy Watkins 27-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick) CLEM 14–7 1 2:49 WVU Tavon Austin 8-yard pass from Geno Smith (Tyler Bitancourt kick) Tied 14–14 1 0:45 CLEM Chandler Catanzaro 42-yard field goal CLEM 17–14 2 13:25 WVU Tavon Austin 27-yard pass from Geno Smith (Tyler Bitancourt kick) WVU 21–17 2 10:28 WVU Darwin Cook 99-yard fumble return (Tyler Bitancourt kick) WVU 28–17 2 4:49 CLEM Chandler Catanzaro 43-yard field goal WVU 28–20 2 2:29 WVU Geno Smith 7-yard run (Tyler Bitancourt kick) WVU 35–20 2 1:13 WVU Tavon Austin 3-yard pass from Geno Smith (Tyler Bitancourt kick) WVU 42–20 2 0:04 WVU Shawne Alston 1-yard run (Tyler Bitancourt kick) WVU 49–20 3 12:35 WVU Stedman Bailey 6-yard pass from Geno Smith (Tyler Bitancourt kick) WVU 56–20 3 9:18 WVU Tavon Austin 37-yard pass from Geno Smith (Tyler Bitancourt kick) WVU 63–20 3 1:37 CLEM DeAndre Hopkins 28-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (pass failed) WVU 63–26 4 6:21 WVU Willie Milhouse 7-yard pass from Geno Smith (Tyler Bitancourt kick) WVU 70–26 4 1:01 CLEM Roderick McDowell 4-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick) WVU 70–33 yes Clemson's best season in 20 years came to a crashing halt with arguably the worst bowl loss in school history. What at first appeared to have the makings of a high-scoring shootout between the Tigers and West Virginia turned into a shellacking on par with a video game score in the second quarter. Following Andre Ellington's fumble at the goalline and the 99-yard touchdown return by Mountaineer safety Darwin Cook, the floodgates opened for the Tigers. West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith was electrifying, and Clemson's defense did not have an answer for him as he rattled off 407 yards passing and 6 touchdowns. Although Clemson coughed the ball up four times on offense, the real story lay in the defense's inability to stop Smith and the Mountaineer offense. The result was a record in points in a bowl game for West Virginia.West Virginia Routs Clemson in Record-Setting Orange Bowl http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=320040228 https://web.archive.org/web/20120108181036/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=320040228 dead January 8, 2012 ESPN January 4, 2012 January 7, 2012 Rankings 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings 6 7 NR RV RV RV NR RV 21 22 13 15 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 7 6 6 6 5 11 12 10 11 9 10 9 9 7 8 8 7 18 17 17 17 21 21 20 20 14 14 14 15 22 22 2012 NFL draft Clemson had four players selected in the 2012 NFL draft.2012 NFL Draft Listing https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2012/draft.htm 2025-05-04 Pro-Football-Reference.com en Player Team Round Pick # Position Andre Branch Jacksonville Jaguars 2nd 38th DE Dwayne Allen Indianapolis Colts 3rd 64th TE Brandon Thompson Cincinnati Bengals 3rd 93rd DTCoty Sensabaugh Tennessee Titans 4th 115th CB References Clemson Category:Clemson Tigers football seasons Category:Atlantic Coast Conference football champion seasons Clemson Tigers football