By the numbers: Clemson's sack attack vaults Tigers up national rankings |
| - Sunday, November 21, 2021, 3:02 PM |
Editor's note: A statistical change Sunday was made after publishing that actually gave Clemson eight sacks. That hasn't been reflected in the NCAA rankings yet.
Seven sacks in a game will do wonders for your national rankings as a defense.
After doing so in the 48-27 win over No. 10 Wake Forest, Clemson vaulted to No. 3 nationally in sacks per game (3.55) and to No. 4 in tackles for loss per game (7.7), joining top-10 marks in red zone defense (No. 2) and scoring defense (No. 8). After 1.5 sacks Saturday, Myles Murphy is in the top-50 nationally in sacks per game (31st).
Also allowing no sacks moved Clemson's protection group back into the top-50 in sacks allowed (43rd) and TFLs allowed (47th).
Topping 300 rushing yards finally moved a Clemson offensive yards category out of the bottom tier (67th in rushing offense now).
Individually, another perfect day from BT Potter on field goals has him in the top-25 in field goals per game (23rd) and top-50 in field goal percentage (38th).
Clemson's stat profile through 11 games
Team
Top-10 ranks: Red zone defense - 2 (.565; No. 3 in red zone TD percentage - .272), team sacks - 3 (3.55), tackles for loss - 4 (7.7 PG), scoring defense - 8 (16.4).
Top-25 ranks: Rushing defense - 14 (104.1), total defense - 15 (317.9), pass efficiency defense - 18 (115.48), punt return defense - 18 (3.7), kickoff returns - 24 (24.8), fumbles recovered - 25 (8).
Top-50 ranks: Third down defense - 26 (.343), fourth down defense - 31 (42.1), blocked kicks allowed - 36 (1), turnovers gained - 41 (17), sacks allowed - 43 (1.82), tackles for loss allowed 47 - (5), passing yards allowed - 47 (213.8), defensive TDs - 49 (1), turnover margin - 50 (0.18).
75th or worse: Scoring offense - 77 (26.5), red zone offense - 89 (.805), third down offense - 92 (.361), time of possession - 95 (28:58), total offense - 95 (362.9), passing offense - 100 (201), passing yards per completion - 102 (11.11), punt returns - 103 (5.39), completion percentage - 114 (.548), passing efficiency - 117 (115.48), kickoff return defense - 130 (30.64).
Individual
Top-25 ranks: BT Potter - field goals per game (23rd; 1.45).
Top-50 ranks: Myles Murphy - sacks per game (31st; 0.68); Potter - field goal percentage (38th/.800).
