Clemson Faces Tough Stanford Team in First-Ever ACC Matchup

Tonight, No. 15 Clemson (2-1, 1-0) will face off against Stanford (2-1, 1-0) for the first time since their last meeting on December 27, 1986, in the Gator Bowl, where the Tigers claimed a hard-fought 27-21 victory.

Now, nearly four decades later, these two teams find themselves in a new chapter of college football, as Stanford plays just its second game as an ACC member.

The Cardinal come into the game riding high after upsetting then-undefeated Syracuse 26-24 in the JMA Wireless Dome. 

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney knows his team is in for a tough battle, as he praised Stanford earlier this week. "This is a well-coached team. That's the biggest thing I can say in watching them on both sides of the ball," Swinney said. "They're smart, they're fundamentally sound, but they compete their tails off from the first play to the last play."

Ashton Daniels 

One of the key challenges for Clemson will be containing Stanford quarterback Ashton Daniels. Daniels has been the heart and soul of the Cardinal offense, not only leading them through the air but also pacing the team in rushing yards.

"He is one of the better athletes we're going to see that plays quarterback throughout the year," Swinney noted. "This kid can run. He can throw. They do a great job schematically with him. I mean, it's every type of quarterback run that you can design to go along with three really good backs."

Stanford's run game, while bolstered by Daniels, is led by Chris Davis, who has accumulated 132 yards on just 15 carries this season. Davis is coming off his best performance of the young season, posting 79 yards on nine carries against Syracuse. 

Elic Ayomanor

Wide receiver Elic Ayomanor brings an explosive element to the passing game. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound redshirt sophomore from Alberta, Canada has Swinney's attention. He called Ayomanor a "superstar" and explained why."He's got great ball skills. He knows how to use his body," Swinney said on Tuesday. "He's got great influence in his route running. He's elite. He's got really good body control. He's a finisher. He makes contested catches."

Ayomanor leads the team with 234 receiving yards, and his one-handed grab against Syracuse is arguably the Catch of the Year thus far in 2024. He first exploded on the national scene last season with an outstanding performance against Colorado, where he racked up 13 receptions, 294 yards, and three touchdowns while mossing two-way star Travis Hunter.

While Ayomanor is the headliner, Ismael Cisse has been Stanford's most consistent target, leading the team with 19 receptions and two touchdowns.

Defense 

On the defensive side, Stanford's front seven has been a force, particularly against the run. After allowing 104 rushing yards to TCU in their opener, the Cardinal clamped down, surrendering just 51 yards combined in their last two games against Cal Poly and Syracuse. Swinney emphasized the physicality and toughness of the Cardinal defense, especially their linebackers. "They're freaking tough up front. These guys are thick and strong, and they know how to play," he said. "They know how to penetrate, and they move around. They've just created some confusion or miscommunication up front, and guys are popping open.

"And then, they got some twitchy guys too, number 14 [Wilfredo Aybar], number 23 [David Bailey], 11 [Tevarua Tafiti] coming off the edge.," he added. "Those guys are really good players." 

Stanford linebackers Aybar, Bailey, Tafiti, and Tristan Sinclair [number 8] have combined for four of the team’s six sacks this season, and their ability to generate pressure will be key in trying to disrupt Clemson’s offense.

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