No Sweat: No. 2 Clemson 77, Louisville 16

The Tigers entered Saturday's matchup against Louisville as nearly 40-point favorites, and it took all of three minutes for Clemson to validate those beliefs taking a 14-0 lead before most of the crowd had a chance to sit down. After the quick start, with all the touchdowns and celebrations, the fans and Clemson's mascot got a heck of a workout during the No. 2 Tigers 77-16 win over Louisville.

Heading into the game, Louisville was one of the worst teams in college football against the run and Clemson hit them on the ground early and often.

During the opening drive, Travis Etienne, who finished his day with eight carries for 153 yards and one touchdown, broke off a 25-yard run that was aided by a 15-yard facemask penalty. From Louisville's 19-yard line, Trevor Lawrence found Tee Higgins for a quick nine-yard gain, before Etienne finished the drive powering into the end zone from the ten.

Following a quick Louisville three-and-out, it took just one snap for Tavien Feaster to hit the open field and paydirt on a 70-yard run, gashing the Cardinal defense for a quick 14-0 lead. 

Bobby Petrino's group bounced back with a 16 play drive, milking 8:41 off the clock and frustrating Clemson's staff. The Tigers called a timeout during the drive and Dabo Swinney spent the majority of the break bending Kendall Joseph's ear about the sub-par play. The defense heard their head coach, stood strong and forced a 25-yard Blanton Creque field goal making the score 14-3.

Clemson's offense answered with an eight play 75-yard response that featured a second 25-yard run for Etienne. Seven plays later, Lawrence hit Higgins for an 11-yard score. On the play, Higgins became the first Tiger since Mike Williams to catch a touchdown in four consecutive games, giving Clemson a comfortable 21-3 lead.

As for the Cardinal offense, things didn't improve. Facing a second-and-24, Louisville quarterback Puma Pass tossed a quick pick-six to Isaiah Simmons, who raced twenty-seven yards untouched, increasing Clemson's lead to 28-3 with 11:42 left in the second quarter.

Clemson Sports Talk

Clemson's defense held Louisville to just 81 yards rushing Saturday.

After an exchange of punts, Louisville managed to move the ball into Clemson territory, but facing a fourth-and-five at the 33-yard line Pass was sacked by Joseph and Dexter Lawrence giving the Tiger offense another opportunity. However, the Tigers gave it right back as Lawrence's deep ball on first down to Higgins was intercepted by an awaiting defender.

Clemson's defense held firm giving the offense another opportunity, this time they wouldn't squander it, marching 60 yards on seven plays when Lawrence found Amari Rodgers for a 3-yard touchdown pass and a 35-3 lead at the break. The pass would be Lawrence's last scoring toss of the day as he finished 8 of 12 passing for 59 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, barely breaking a sweat.

On Clemson's first drive of the second half, Etienne sprinted 41 yards inside the five-yard line. Clemson's "Fridge Package" entered the game. Last weekend at Florida State, Christian Wilkins crashed into the end zone, but this week it was 340-pound Dexter Lawrence who plowed in from two yards out.

Give Louisville credit as they countered Clemson's jumbo set with 378-pound Dejmi Dumervil-Jean who entered the game on the short yardage play, but it wasn't enough to stop Lawrence's first career touchdown run.

Tanner Muse intercepted Pass on the next Louisville possession giving Clemson great field position inside the ten-yard line. Feaster got three carries before crossing the goal line expanding the blowout to 49-3. Feaster racked up 101 yards on six carries with two scores during the blowout.

Defense stops led to more points for Clemson as Chase Brice hit Trevion Thompson on an out route, then a 59-yard bomb to Justyn Ross ballooned the lead to 63-3. 

Clemson Sports Talk

Travis Etienne was one of three Clemson running backs with over 100 yards rushing against Louisville.

Louisville's Hassan Hall returned a kickoff for a touchdown giving the Cardinal's their first taste of the end zone, but even that play was spoiled by a blocked extra point and the knowledge that their defense had to go back out on the field.

Enter Lyn-J Dixon, Clemson's freshman running back took advantage of his opportunity breaking off a 55-yard run for a touchdown giving the Tigers a 70-9 lead. Dixon would become the third Clemson back to hit 100 yards rushing in the game as he finished with 116 yards on four carries and a score.

The Cardinal's added a score of their own in the fourth quarter as backup quarterback Malik Cunningham sprinted for a 10-yard touchdown run. 

After a 38-yard run from Dixon, Will Swinney even got in on the action scoring Clemson's 11th touchdown of the day putting a smile on his father's face that matched the Clemson crowd throughout the contest.