Heard in the Pressbox:

Quote: “What a juke!” - speaking of Kelly Bryant breaking Mook Reynolds' ankles on an 18-yard run facing a 1st and 20. 

Rumbled: Facing a 24-10 deficit, Virginia Tech quarterback Josh Jackson looked to the flats for an open receiver, the ball got tipped, and Clemson's Dorian O'Daniel came down with the ball and raced 22-yards for a back-breaking touchdown.

Stumbled: Clemson punter Will Spiers didn't get off the best punt early in the 4th quarter. A 33-yard punt wasn't his best effort, and Virginia Tech made the Tigers pay. The Hokies Greg Stroman returned the punt 43 yards to the Clemson 2-yard line. Virginia Tech would score on the next play trimming Clemson's lead to 24-10 with 14:00 left to play.

Turning point: With just over seven minutes left in the first quarter, Kelly Bryant found a wide open Tavien Feaster who raced 60-yards to give Clemson a 10-0 lead and quieted the Virginia Tech crowd. The Hokies would never significantly threaten Clemson from that point forward.

Unsung hero: Dexter Lawrence: Time and time again, Clemson's oversized sophomore defensive tackle set the tone by clogging up the middle of the offensive line. Clemson's mountain in the middle caused Virginia Tech trouble all night. Lawrence forced a fumble early in the third quarter that led to a ten play, 51-yard scoring drive for Clemson. "Big Dex" only accounted for two tackles but was a force defensively from the opening kick.

Key stat: Clemson forced four three and outs in the first half, and three straight to open the game. Then in the 3rd quarter, when Virginia Tech faced a 4th and 3, Clemson's Austin Bryant gobbled up wideout Sean Savoy for a loss of 5 giving the Tigers the ball back leading 24-3 with 5:23 left in the 3rd quarter. The defense was stifling from the start, and Virginia Tech had no answer offensively. 

Scoring Summary: 

First quarter

CLEM: Alex Spence 23-yard field goal: Drive: 10 plays, 47 yards, 3:34 - Clemson 3 - Virginia Tech 0

CLEM: Tavien Feaster 60-yard reception: Drive: 3 plays, 66 yards, 1:20 - Clemson 10 - Virginia Tech 0

Second quarter

VT: Joey Slye 43-yard field goal: Drive: 10 plays, 52 yards, 4:37 - Clemson 10 - Virginia Tech 3

CLEM: CJ Fuller 1-yard run: Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 1:51 - Clemson 17 - Virginia Tech 3

Third quarter

CLEM: Tavien Feaster 1-yard run: Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 5:43 - Clemson 24 - Virginia Tech 3

Fourth quarter

VT: Sean Savoy 2-yard run: Drive: 1 play, 2 yards, 0:04 - Clemson 24 - Virginia Tech 10

CLEM: Dorian O'Daniel 22-yard interception return: Drive 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:00 - Clemson 31 - Virginia Tech 10

VT: Sean Savoy 30-yard reception: Drive 11 plays, 72 yards, 3:42 - Clemson 31 - Virginia Tech 17