The Notes: No. 1 Clemson 41, Syracuse 6

Clemson won its 13th consecutive game by 14 points or more, which is now tied for the fifth-longest streak in the AP Poll era (since 1936).

Clemson outgained Syracuse, 612-187. The 425-yard difference in total yardage represents the sixth time since 2017 that Clemson has outgained its opponent by at least 425 yards and the second time in that span it has done so against a Power Five opponent (+449 at Wake Forest in 2018).

The 187 yards allowed by Clemson were the fewest gained by Syracuse since Nov. 29, 2014, when Boston College held Syracuse to 128 yards.

Clemson allowed only 15 rushing yards, Clemson’s third time holding an opponent to 15 yards or fewer on the ground in its last 11 games.

Clemson posted 15 tackles for loss, tied for the fifth-most in a game in school history and the most under Head Coach Dabo Swinney. It was Clemson’s most since recording 15 tackles for loss vs. Utah State on Oct. 16, 2004.

Clemson recorded eight sacks, tied for the eighth-most sacks in a game in school history. 

Clemson’s eight sacks surpassed its six sacks against Syracuse in 2017 for the most by Clemson in the eight-game series history between the two schools.

Six of Clemson’s eight sacks came in the first half, Clemson’s most in a single half since a seven-sack second half against Auburn on Sept. 9, 2017.

Clemson has now recorded multiple sacks in 11 straight games, dating to last season. It was Clemson’s nation-leading 16th multi-sack game since 2018.

Clemson did not allow a touchdown in the contest, Clemson’s first time doing so since holding Notre Dame without a touchdown in the Cotton Bowl last season.

Clemson’s 612 yards of offense represented its second 600-yard game of the season (632 vs. Georgia Tech). Three games into the season, Clemson is already one 600-yard game away from matching the school record for 600-yard games in a single-season (three in 2012, 2017 and 2018).

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence completed 22-of-39 passes for a career-high 395 yards with three passing touchdowns.

Lawrence’s 395 passing yards broke his previous career-high of 393 against South Carolina in 2018 and represent the 11th-highest single-game total in school history.

Lawrence also rushed for 42 yards on four carries. His 42 yards matched his career-high rushing total, set against South Carolina in 2018.

The 300-yard passing game was Lawrence’s first of the season and the sixth of his career.

On his fourth completion of the game, a 16-yard pass to Amari Rodgers, Lawrence became the 11th player in school history to record 300 career pass completions.

During the contest, Lawrence became the 13th player in school history to reach the 4,000-yard career mark of total offense. He also became only the 10th player in school history to reach 4,000 career passing yards.

On a one-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, Lawrence added to his single-season career-high in rushing touchdowns (three) and joined Kelly Bryant (2017) as the only Clemson quarterbacks since 2000 to rush for a touchdown in each of the first three games of a season.

Lawrence’s third touchdown pass of the game, a seven-yard pass to Frank Ladson Jr., tied him with Nealon Greene (35 from 1994-97) for sixth-most career passing touchdowns in school history.

Wide receiver Tee Higgins recorded seven receptions for 150 yards, all in the first half.

The 100-yard receiving game was Higgins’ first of the season and the fifth of his career. His most recent 100-yard game prior to Saturday was against South Carolina on Nov. 24, 2018.

Higgins’ 150 yards through two quarters were the most first-half receiving yards by a Clemson player since Sammy Watkins’ school-record 177-yard first half against Wake Forest on Oct. 25, 2012.

Wide receiver Amari Rodgers caught four passes for 121 yards with a career-high-tying two touchdown catches.

Rodgers caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Lawrence in the first quarter. The touchdown was his first since a score against Louisville on Nov. 3, 2018. It was his fifth career receiving touchdown. 

With Rodgers opening the scoring, Clemson pushed its record to 41-0 when scoring first since 2015.

Rodgers scored his second touchdown of the contest on an 87-yard reception in the third quarter. It was the longest career completion for Lawrence.

Rodgers’ 87-yard touchdown was Clemson’s second-longest touchdown of the season, trailing a 90-yard run by Travis Etienne against Georgia Tech. The 2019 season now marks only the second time in which Clemson has scored multiple touchdowns from scrimmage of 85 yards or more in a single season (two in 2013).

Rodgers’ 87-yard touchdown was the second-longest by Clemson at Syracuse in school history, trailing a 91-yard pass from Tajh Boyd to Sammy Watkins in 2013, and longest overall since Boyd hit Watkins for 96 yards at Virginia on Nov. 2, 2013. Rodgers’ reception ties for the fourth-longest pass play in school history.

Higgins (150) and Rodgers (121) each tallied more than 100 receiving yards in the game, representing just the 12th such instance in school history and the second involving Higgins (178 with Deon Cain’s 140 on Nov. 18, 2017). 

Running back Chez Mellusi recorded a 57-yard touchdown run on his lone carry of the game. It was his first career rushing touchdown.

Linebacker Isaiah Simmons recorded a career-high two sacks among his 3.5 tackles for loss. Both sacks effectively ended Syracuse drives, as one came on a third-down which led to a Syracuse punt and another came on fourth down.

With 1.5 sacks in the contest, linebacker James Skalski pushed his season sack total to a career-high 2.5. 

Defensive end K.J. Henry recorded his first career pass breakup in the first quarter and his first career sack on a half-sack in the second quarter.

Defensive end Xavier Thomas recorded a sack and has now posted a sack in back-to-back games for the first time in his career.

Defensive tackle Tyler Davis recorded the first full sack of his career in the second quarter. He posted a half-sack in the season opener against Georgia Tech.

Linebacker Chad Smith recorded his first sack of the season in the third quarter, his first sack since Nov. 3, 2018, against Louisville.

Cornerback Mario Goodrich recorded his first career interception in the third quarter, one play following a Syracuse interception that gave the Orange the ball on the Clemson nine-yard line.

With Goodrich’s interception, Clemson has now intercepted a pass in seven straight games for the first time since posting a nine-game interception streak across the first nine games of the 2016 season.

Kicker B.T. Potter converted field goal attempts of 40 and 37 yards, his first career game with multiple field goals.

In his 31st career game for Clemson, safety Nolan Turner made his first career start.

The game was Syracuse’s first sellout since its 1998 season opener against Tennessee. The two sellouts share a family connection, as the 1998 Tennessee Volunteers were quarterbacked by Tee Martin, whose son (Rodgers) scored Clemson’s first touchdown on Saturday. That 1998 Tennessee squad went on to win the national championship.

Captains for the contest were running back Travis Etienne, long snapper Patrick Phibbs, linebacker Chad Smith and safety K’Von Wallace