On This Date: 1981 (14)Clemson- 21 Kentucky- 3

Oct 3, 2024, 9:34 AM

10/03/1981
Lexington, KY

CLEMSON ROARS BACK TO WHIP WILDCATS, 21-3
Lexington Herald-Leader

The explanation like the execution was nothing fancy. "The first half we didn't play the ball Clemson’s capable of playing’’ Tiger linebacker Jeff Davis said. “Like coach (Danny Ford) said we weren't blocking and tackling. In the second half we did.”

Clemson did a lot of both in the second half to turn back outmanned Kentucky 21-3 yesterday at Commonwealth Stadium.

Trailing and embarrassed by a 34 halftime deficit, the 14tb-ranked Tigers took the game by the throat in the third quarter and didn't let go. Clemson scored on its first two possessions of the second half, moving methodically between the tackles and down the field, While it wasn’t especially photogenic for a regional television audience, it made a lasting impression.

"We showed who's boss” said Davis.

Kentucky, losing its third straight game to a second-half comeback, didnt argue. The Wildcats let Alabama and Kansu off the hook according to the players, but Clemson never nibbled at the Wildcat upset bid. "They didn’t do anything different in the second half except the boot — that's the first time they’ve run that,” UK safety Greg Long said- "It was just a well-executed play"

The "boot” was Clemson quarterback Homer Jordan's slight of body trick at the Kentucky 3 yard-line. After Jordan faked a handoff to the right side, he bootlegged against the flow. He Jogged into the end zone with 4:25 left in the third quarter, putting Clemson up 14-3.

Other than that the Tigers "Just took the ball right at them” Jordan said. "This one might be easier to swallow” wide receiver Rick Massie said "Losing in the last two minutes realty gets to you. Today the second half was theirs.”

Clemson took the second half kickoff and went 83 yards for a touchdown in 13 plays. The march was 18 yards more than the Tigers’ total offensive output in the first half and put Kentucky behind for good.

Jordan, limited to 19 total yards in the first half, completed two passes for 42 yards on the drive. The rest of the plays on the drive were runs by reserve tailback Chuck McSwain (six carries for 30 yards), fullback Kevin Mack (two for 12), and Jordan Mack scored from 11 yards out — breaking several tackles on a run up the middle— with 9:02 remaining in the third quarter,

UK fumbled on its first possession. Richard Abraham, the third different starting fullback this season, lost the ball. Clemson defensive end Andy Headen recovered at the Wildcat 21. Six plays later UK trailed 14-3.

Jordan went over on the bootleg

They must have done something to fire them up at halftime” Long said. "They just seemed to button up the chin straps and come after it.

Clemson executed better than anyone we’ve played.” "Clemson is a better football team” Kentucky coach Fran Curd said. "We couldn’t stop them They’re the best team we’ve played to date.”

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I was there with my folks. Nice road trip. Good memories. :-)***

Doesn't it look like UK was darker blue back then?

On This Date: 1981 (14)Clemson- 21 Kentucky- 3

I was there with my folks. Nice road trip. Good memories. :-)***

Doesn't it look like UK was darker blue back then?

Re: The Basketball Team Took All The Blue.***

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