Each week, we’ll look back on what our expert analysts thought each team needed to do to secure victory in our NCAA Football broadcasts, brought to you by Pennzoil.
- October 20th: Halftime score: Clemson 17 – Virginia Tech 10
(Listen to Randy Cross’s Keys to the Second Half from our broadcast)
Virginia Tech: Randy said it was a good news and bad news situation for the Hokies. Their offense was rolling, but they needed to stop turning the ball over.
Virginia Tech Verdict: The Hokies weren’t as productive on offense in the second half – gaining only 158 yards after the break compared with 248 in the first half. But they weren’t as destructive either and committed only one turnover in the second half. Regardless, with the Tech offense not moving the ball, and the defense unable to force a turnover to provide a short field, the Hokies weren’t able to put up the points required to stay with Clemson.
Clemson: Randy wanted the Tigers to put the hammer down and put away Virginia Tech by finishing drives.
Clemson Verdict: Clemson stretched its lead out in the later stages of the third quarter as Andre Ellington scored on a 12-yard run to cap a 7-play, 52-yard drive and Tajh Boyd hit DeAndre Hopkins on a 37-yard TD pass to put the Tigers up 31-10. The icing on the cake for Clemson was a 9-play drive that ate up 5:22 late in the fourth quarter. Boyd’s 1-yard TD run capped the drive and a Clemson victory.
Final Score: Clemson 38 – Virginia Tech 17
