ULM @ Clemson
The Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks went into Death Valley Saturday afternoon and faced not only the 25th ranked team in the nation but also a loud Clemson home crowd.
It would be the road team that would strike first and quite the packed house early in the first quarter. The Warhawks would score when Calvin Dawson took the hand off and scored from one yard out to give ULM a 7-0 lead. Dawson set the score up on a 20 yard burst on the play before.
The home team would not be fazed as they answered right back with a quick score as Cullen Harper would find Tyler Grisham for the 14 yard scoring play and tie the game 7-7. The drive covered 63 yards on 4 plays and took 1:08 off the clock.
ULM would go three and out on their next possession and Clemson would waste no time taking the lead for good. Cullen looked deep and found Jacoby Ford who had beaten John Turner bad for the 52 yard scoring play and Clemson led 14-7.
A 15 play 41 yard drive would end when kicker Cole Wilson connected on his 12th straight fg to bring ULM within four, 14-10. Cullen would right back to work on the next Clemson possession when he hit freshman TE Brian Linthicum for the 6 yard score and the Tigers led 21-10.
Cullen would throw his 4th touchdown pass of the half on the next tiger possession. This time he would hit his big 6'5 wide out Aaron Kelly for the 9 yard score. Kelly got behind Darrius Battles and was able to drag a foot in the corner of the end zone for the score.
Halftime Clemson 28 ULM 10
ULM would receive the opening kickoff to start the second half but much like their game last week against Tulsa, they would go three and out. Clemson would go for the throat following a Scott Love punt. C.J Spillers would come out of the backfield and run down the right sideline where he would catch the football in stride and score on the 68 yard pass play.
The Warhawks would put together a nice drive but it would stall inside the Clemson 10 yard line and Cole Wilson would kick a 23 yard fg to make the score 35-13 Tigers. On the next Clemson possession, Thunder would strike as James Davis would burst through the line and score from 16 yards out making the score 42-13 Clemson.
After Freshman qb Willy Korn led the tigers on an impressive 10 play drive that ended when Korn scored from one yard out to extend the lead out to 49-13.
The Warhawks would show some pride on their next possessions, both ending in touchdowns. Kinsmon Lancaster would step up in the pocket and deliver a perfect pass to wide out Aaron Stringfellow for the 16 yard touchdown. The extra point by Cole Wilson was no good and Clemson led 49-19.
After forcing a three and out on the next Clemson possession, ULM would take over from the tiger 48 yard line. One play later RS Frank Goodin was standing in the end zone with a touchdown for the final score of 49-26.
Game Notes
Clemson QB Cullen Harper set the Clemson all time record when he threw for 5 touchdowns in one game.
The ULM Warhawks had 2 running backs go over 100 yards in the same game. Senior Calvin Dawson finished with 128 yards on 28 carries and a touchdown. Frank Goodin carried the ball 10 times for 102 yards and a touchdown.
The Warhawks held Clemson's duo of running backs Spillers and Davis to 70 yards on 10 carries.
The two teams combined for 922 yards of offense in the game. ULM(419) Clemson (503)
Calvin Dawson extended his streak of 100 yard rushing games to seven, 2nd longest in the nation.