We lost because

[Crusty]

This was a very hard-fought close game where any number of things could have changed the outcome. That said, in no particular order, here are some factors in the game result.

• Shrader was 17-37 (45.9%) with 1 drive killing interception. If he doesn't improve his accuracy AND decision making someone might beat him out next year.
• Shrader's rushing was neutralized by Brett Venables and 45% passing did not make up for it. However, Shrader finally hit on a deep pass with a beautiful throw to Trebor Pena, who scored on the 62-yard play.
• Too may stupid penalties, especially in the first half.
  • 2 PF lead to first Clemson TD.
• Punting continues to be poor averaging less than 40 yards We are 92nd of 95 punters in the country punting 22 times for an average of 38.32 yards per punt. Tenth our of ten in the ACC. Only punter averaging less than 40 ypp.
• Too many dropped passes and I don't remember any 50-50 passes we won.
• Clemson trickeration worked. We were not surprised by the fake punt but Clemson simply executed better than we did.

Contrary to what I have read elsewhere we had almost as many yards in the second half as in the first and actually more plays.
If any team adjusted better in the second half, it was SU. Clemson was held to only 3 points and 61 fewer total yards. while SU scored 7 points with almost the same number of yards in each half.

The win probably won't do much for Clemson a their offensive struggles continued. Wake Forest certainly looks better in comparison.
Feel very bably for the team with three really tough losses in-a-row. When are we finally going to win a conference game?

 

[sufandu]

Yeah, it seems like everyone wants to focus on the missed FG. The much bigger issue is lack of a passing game. That's not getting fixed this year. My hope is that Clemson is the best defense we'll see all year. Hopefully the oline holds together the rest of the way so we can keep running the ball. We have to hope Lamson is good enough to beat out Shrader next year or we'll be doing our best circa mid '90's poor man's Nebraska impression.

 

[orangenauburn]

The thing is, there were what, five drops? That puts him at 22/37 (too many passes still).

And at least one of those drops probably kept us out of FG range in first half.

The facemask penalty obviously crushed a beautiful drive, as well as the bizarre second and third down call after penalty.

This game I feel we left thirteen points off the board.

Red zone pick, missed FG, and potential opportunity for FG early in game.

 

[David321]

Did anyone actually think Szmyt was going to make that OC 48 yard FG? I sure didn’t, not sure why Dino did.

 

[CuseCrew08]

The INT was a killer, if we could have gone up 7-0 it would have been a different game.

Their offense was struggling in the first half and Barron and Cantin-Arku gifted them 30 yards. I didn't see the Barron play but the flag came after the play. C-A's was dumb of him.

There were a few highly questionable flags yesterday, they didn't show any replays on TV but some seemed to be at very convenient times. For example the personal foul facemask on Clemson on the punt return, they called some phantom offsetting penalty to allow them to rekick...

 

[OburgOrange]

The thing is, there were what, five drops? That puts him at 22/37 (too many passes still).

And at least one of those drops probably kept us out of FG range in first half.

The facemask penalty obviously crushed a beautiful drive, as well as the bizarre second and third down call after penalty.

This game I feel we left thirteen points off the board.

Red zone pick, missed FG, and potential opportunity for FG early in game.

There were 2 passes over the middle that shrader clearly missed that c have gone to the house as well. Accuracy way off last night

 

[upperdeck]

The INT was a killer, if we could have gone up 7-0 it would have been a different game.

Their offense was struggling in the first half and Barron and Cantin-Arku gifted them 30 yards. I didn't see the Barron play but the flag came after the play. C-A's was dumb of him.

There were a few highly questionable flags yesterday, they didn't show any replays on TV but some seemed to be at very convenient times. For example the personal foul facemask on Clemson on the punt return, they called some phantom offsetting penalty to allow them to rekick...

and they screwed up the calls on that punt too.. the blocking and the facemask both happened after the change of possession so why the re-kick

 

[AlaskaSU]

There was pass interference on the last pass play of the last drive that was not called.

 

[721Comstock]

There was pass interference on the last pass play of the last drive that was not called.

Yup. Blatant, and ongoing.
Wasn’t just 1 touch or push before the ball got there, it was like the DB was playing patty cake with our WR.
The announcers even said how there was “a LOT of contact” before the ball arrived.

and shockingly! Not called.

 

[upperdeck]

every game is coming down to plays at the end and every game a series of calls is not doing us any favors.. Clemson really won because a punter threw the best pass of the night..

Dabo going for it on 4th down was one of the dumbest calls of the game but it worked out well. its not like we even got fooled and didnt defend it well.

 

[Nicknack]

People want to focus on our field goal kicking, which is fair. However, our punting is even worse.

 

[JustPherU]

People want to focus on our field goal kicking, which is fair. However, our punting is even worse.

Entire special teams are nothing to write home about

 

[CapitalO]

Did anyone actually think Szmyt was going to make that OC 48 yard FG? I sure didn’t, not sure why Dino did.

The only way you send in Szmyt for that game tying field goal is 35 yards or less.

 

[Nicknack]

Entire special teams are nothing to write home about

 

[Chris02M]

View attachment 208802​

This was a very hard-fought close game where any number of things could have changed the outcome. That said, in no particular order, here are some factors in the game result.

• Shrader was 17-37 (45.9%) with 1 drive killing interception. If he doesn't improve his accuracy AND decision making someone might beat him out next year.
• Shrader's rushing was neutralized by Brett Venables and 45% passing did not make up for it. However, Shrader finally hit on a deep pass with a beautiful throw to Trebor Pena, who scored on the 62-yard play.
• Too may stupid penalties, especially in the first half.
  • 2 PF lead to first Clemson TD.
• Punting continues to be poor averaging less than 40 yards We are 92nd of 95 punters in the country punting 22 times for an average of 38.32 yards per punt. Tenth our of ten in the ACC. Only punter averaging less than 40 ypp.
• Too many dropped passes and I don't remember any 50-50 passes we won.
• Clemson trickeration worked. We were not surprised by the fake punt but Clemson simply executed better than we did.

Contrary to what I have read elsewhere we had almost as many yards in the second half as in the first and actually more plays.
If any team adjusted better in the second half, it was SU. Clemson was held to only 3 points and 61 fewer total yards. while SU scored 7 points with almost the same number of yards in each half.
View attachment 208801
The win probably won't do much for Clemson a their offensive struggles continued. Wake Forest certainly looks better in comparison.
Feel very bably for the team with three really tough losses in-a-row. When are we finally going to win a conference game?

Courtney Jackson had several contested catches on slants

 

[AZOrange]

The WRs and the route options are generally horrible.

 

[Trueblue25]

What the hell has happened to our wide receivers?

I think all the recruiting misses in 2019-2020 killed us

 

[AZOrange]

What the hell has happened to our wide receivers?

I think all the recruiting misses in 2018-2019 killed us

It’s partially the WR and partially the scheme. I like Alford but the routes they give are awful. I actually think Pena is a little bit of an baller. May not be a real WR but actually looks like he wants to be on the field. No TE to speak of is killer in this type of O. If you look at teams that run this style of O they use a great TE to create mismatches (ie kittle, kelce).

 

[sufandu]

The INT was a killer, if we could have gone up 7-0 it would have been a different game.

Their offense was struggling in the first half and Barron and Cantin-Arku gifted them 30 yards. I didn't see the Barron play but the flag came after the play. C-A's was dumb of him.

There were a few highly questionable flags yesterday, they didn't show any replays on TV but some seemed to be at very convenient times. For example the personal foul facemask on Clemson on the punt return, they called some phantom offsetting penalty to allow them to rekick...

They showed the replay. It was a block in the back of the defender that was right there after Pena caught the ball. This is part of the special teams coaching. Don't block someone if you can see the name in their jersey!

 

[sufandu]

Yup. Blatant, and ongoing.
Wasn’t just 1 touch or push before the ball got there, it was like the DB was playing patty cake with our WR.
The announcers even said how there was “a LOT of contact” before the ball arrived.

and shockingly! Not called.

But they weren't calling it either way. They were at least consistent about it.

 

[sufandu]

and they screwed up the calls on that punt too.. the blocking and the facemask both happened after the change of possession so why the re-kick

I wondered that too. I thought we'd just get the ball at the point of the catch.