Clemson rolls past Coastal

By Pete Iacobelli - The Associated Press

CLEMSON -- Jacoby Ford was happy to give Clemson teammate C.J. Spiller a break. That's what happens when you have two of the fastest playmakers in college football.

Ford caught a touchdown and threw for another in the Tigers' 49-3 victory over Coastal Carolina on Saturday. It was Clemson's third straight win since a 2-3 start and improved the team to 23-0 all-time against Football Championship Subdivision opponents.

“We knew that we could drive the ball if we went out there and executed like we were supposed to,” Ford said.

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Usually, it's Spiller who executes best for the Tigers. He had a school-record 310 all-purpose yards, including his 18th and 19th career touchdowns of 50 yards or more, in Clemson's 40-37 overtime win at then eighth-ranked Miami last week.

But it was Ford who caught the game-winner against the Hurricanes last week, then kept up his momentum against the overmatched Chanticleers (3-5).

“Like I've said before, we have guys that can make plays,” Ford said. “They just have to be given the opportunity.”

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney could've added to Spiller's Heisman Trophy credentials with a big performance over Coastal. “But I didn't really see a need to put him back in,” Swinney said.

Spiller's biggest impact came early in the second quarter after Crezdon Butler's 47-yard interception return brought it the Chants 16. Spiller had a 10-yard gain on first down, then walked through a wide opening into the end zone to make it 21-0 less than 20 minutes into the game.

Spiller was content to stand on the sidelines smiling as his teammates performed.

“It's always good to give those backup guys some plays,” Spiller said. “They work hard at practice, and that was our main focus.”

Clemson's decisive stretch begins next week at home against resurgent Florida State, which has won its past two games. They will need every bit of Spiller's talent to help them win the ACC's Atlantic Division.

Not that Ford is a bad option.

He's the reigning NCAA 60-meter indoor track champion. Swinney says he would bet on Ford to outrun Spiller every time.

Against Coastal Carolina, Ford got the Tigers going with his 36-yard catch in the end zone. Then on the next drive, Ford took a handoff from Kyle Parker, floated to the right and found Xavier Dye streaking past the goal line to go up 14-0.

Ford joined — who else? — his friend Spiller as the only Tigers to score five different ways: By pass, reception and rush and on kickoff and punt returns.

“That's definitely an achievement,” Ford said.

Coastal Carolina coach David Bennett understood the challenge his team faced on its first-ever trip to Death Valley. He said it was like “comparing oranges to grapes. And we're the grapes.”

After a promising start — Coastal's Marcus Lott picked off Parker to end Clemson's opening drive — the Chants certainly got stomped by the Atlantic Coast Conference's No. 2 defense. They managed only 103 yards the first three quarters and did not cross midfield until less than nine minutes remained in the game.

Clemson was in line for its first shutout in 17 games, until Coastal's Justin Durham hit a 31-yard field goal with 4:02 left.

“In a game like that you are so outmanned, and you look up at the clock and every time they don't get a score on the scoreboard, you have a little hope,” Bennett said.

Earlier in the week, Spiller said the turf toe injury he had dealt with all season was sore after the Miami game. So it only made sense, Swinney said, to lighten the load.

Clemson's reserves kept the pressure on. Freshman running back Andre Ellington had a Spiller-esque 55-yard touchdown run in which he broke two tackles on the way to the end zone.

Parker's backup, Willy Korn, had his head down during a 16-yard pickup and slammed into a cheerleader. Both were OK. “Probably put that on the big-hit video,” Swinney said with a grin.