Clemson offense rated No. 1 in country by ESPN ranking

Clemson's offense has had plenty to smile about lately.

Brandon Rink - Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer - Sunday, September 22 2024

Just how good has Clemson's offense been over the last two games? Good enough to surge to No. 1 in the nation efficiency-wise for one ESPN metric.

ESPN's Football Power Index has the Tigers in the top spot, led by the site's No. 3 overall by QBR, Cade Klubnik.

In more traditional measures, Clemson is 15th in points per game (42.7), 16th in completion percentage (.696), 18th in total offense (474.3), 21st in passing efficiency (164.02) and 25th in passing offense (285.3).

Phil Mafah is Top 5 nationally in yards per carry (4th; 8.6), and Klubnik holds elite marks in points responsible for per game (6th; 22) and completion percentage (9th; 73.4).

While the blowout-induced heavy substitutions have greatly affected the traditional measures on defense (103rd in scoring defense and 108th in total defense), garbage time-adjusted rankings such as the SP+ (36) and FPI (32) each have the Tigers still in the Top 36.

Giving a stat profile on what's been great, really good and not good at all through three games:

Top 10

Turnovers lost 9 (2).

Top 35

Defensive TDs 13 (1), points per game 15 (42.7), passes had intercepted 15 (1), completion percentage 16 (.696), total yards gained per game 18 (474.3), fumbles lost 21 (1), passing efficiency 21 (164.02), turnover margin 23 (1), third down defense 23 (.294), passing offense 25 (285.3), sacks allowed per game 27 (1).

100th or worse

Red zone TD percentage allowed 102 (69.2), points allowed per game 103 (29.7), team sacks per game 104 (1.33), passing yards allowed per game 108 (249.7), total yards allowed per game 108 (415.3), net punting 112 (35.5).

Basic advanced stats (ESPN)

SP+ ($): Offense rating - 12; defense - 36; special teams - 56.

FPI: Offense rating - 1; defense - 32; special teams - 124.

Top Clemson players in national ranks

Top 10: Nolan Hauser - field goal percentage 1 (1.000); Phil Mafah - rushing yards per carry 4 (8.6); Klubnik - points responsible for per game 6 (22), completion percentage 9 (.734); Cade Denhoff and Peter Nearn - fumbles recovered - 6 (1).

Top 35: Klubnik - passing efficiency 12 (181.8), points responsible for - 15 (66), passing TDs - 20 (8), passing yards per attempt 23 (9.2); 12 Avieon Terrell - passes defended per game 17 (1.3); T.J. Parker - forced fumbles per game 28 (0.33); Antonio Williams - receiving TDs 30 (3), punt returns average 31 (10.2); Mafah - rushing yards per game 30 (94.7).

(Stats per the NCAA, with select numbers per CFBStats.com).