CLEMSON, S.C. – Clemson’s offense had one of its worst performances of the season Saturday against Virginia Tech, but the Tigers’ defense came to the rescue in a 38-17 victory at Memorial Stadium.
No. 14 Clemson was held to a season-low 295 yards, but it forced four turnovers and allowed the fewest points to a Football Bowl Subdivision team all season, better than the 19 it yielded to Auburn in the season opener.
The Tigers (6-1, 3-1 in the ACC), who held Virginia Tech to only 158 second-half yards, tied a school record with their 11th consecutive home victory. They have beaten the Hokies (4-4, 2-2) three consecutive times by a cumulative score of 99-30.
“They’re a good team, a physical team,” senior safety Jonathan Meeks of Clemson said after making two interceptions and returning one 74 yards for a touchdown. “We know we’ve got to be ready to play. We’ve just had their number the last couple of times.”
Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd got off to a slow start, but he finished with 160 passing yards and three touchdowns, two of them on the ground. Tigers tailback Andre Ellington rushed for 96 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries.
The Tigers had their lowest rushing output, 135 yards, since gaining only 153 against South Carolina last November.
“I just don’t feel like we came out as fired out as we usually do,” Boyd said. “I just don’t feel like we executed as well as we needed to. We did a lot of really good things in the second half. We had to make some adjustments.”
Clemson broke the game open with two third-quarter touchdowns. Ellington scored on a 12-yard run and Boyd completed a 37-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver DeAndre Brown for a 31-10 lead in the final minute of the quarter.
Hokies quarterback Logan Thomas scored on a 19-yard run with 9:52 remaining in the fourth quarter to make it 31-17. He finished with 207 passing yards and one touchdown and also rushed for a game-high 99 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries.
“I’ve got to give credit to Clemson,” said Thomas, who has thrown 10 interceptions this season to match his total from last year. “They played a great game. They made it tough on us and limited the big play.”
Virginia Tech has lost six straight games away from Lane Stadium and is 0-4 in road and neutral site games this season.
The Hokies outgained the Tigers, 248-137, in the first half but trailed, 17-10, because of interceptions and a major special teams gaffe.
Meeks intercepted two of Thomas’ passes in the second quarter and put Clemson ahead, 17-7, with his touchdown return, which was the longest by a Tigers player since 2006.
“I think somebody may have gotten a tip on it, and it was just green grass after that,” Meeks said. “They blocked. Garry (Peters) blocked. The defensive line blocked. Coach (Dabo) Swinney could have scored on that one.”
Clemson took advantage of a muffed punt in the second quarter to score its other first-half touchdown. When the punt landed, the ball bounced off Virginia Tech’s Christian Reeves and was recovered by the Tigers’ Tony Steward at the Hokies’ 26-yard line.
The Tigers needed only six plays to get into the end zone on Boyd’s diving one-yard run with 9:29 left in the second quarter.
“Field position got us a little bit,” Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said. “To beat Clemson, you have to keep the ball and get some first downs, and get some points out of your possessions.”
Virginia Tech was in control in the early going.
The Hokies sacked Boyd twice and forced a Clemson punt on the first series and then took a 7-0 lead a short time later on Thomas’ 39-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Corey Fuller.
Clemson managed only a 27-yard field goal by Chandler Catanzaro in its first four possessions. It punted twice during that span, and Virginia Tech safety Michael Cole intercepted a pass by Boyd.
But the Tigers took the lead with two second-quarter touchdowns. Virginia Tech’s Cody Journell kicked a 40-yard field goal to cut the Clemson lead to 17-10 with three seconds left in the second quarter.
NOTES: Clemson cornerback Darius Robinson was removed from the field on a cart after sustaining a leg injury in the first quarter and did not return. … Tigers’ wide receiver Sammy Watkins had eight catches for 84 yards, both season highs, and has 106 receptions in his career. … Quarterback Tajh Boyd has 6,065 passing yards for his career and is second all-time in Clemson history behind Woodrow Dantzler. … Clemson kicker Chandler Catanzaro has made 20 consecutive field goal attempts and Virginia Tech kicker Cody Journell has converted 10 consecutive field goal attempts. … Virginia Tech sacked Boyd five times. Clemson had allowed only 10 sacks in its previous six games.