Field Level Media
Dec 5, 2020
Trevor Lawrence ran for two touchdowns and passed for another as No. 3 Clemson pulled away to a 45-10 victory over Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., on Saturday.
Lawrence completed 12-of-22 passes for 195 yards and was intercepted once. He gained 41 yards on the ground as the Tigers outscored the Hokies 28-0 in the second half.
Clemson (9-1, 8-1 ACC) clinched a berth in the ACC Championship game and will face No. 2 Notre Dame in Charlotte on Dec. 19.
Virginia Tech (4-6, 4-5) committed three second-half turnovers and used three quarterbacks due to injuries. The Hokies have lost four straight and are 0-4 against ranked opponents.
Khalil Herbert rushed for 96 yards on 21 carries and scored Virginia Tech's lone touchdown.
The Tigers were poised to stretch their seven-point halftime lead midway through the third quarter but Divine Deablo picked off Lawrence in the end zone.
Lawrence soon redeemed himself after Mario Goodrich recovered a Braxton Burmeister fumble at the Hokies' 12-yard line. Lawrence scored two plays later on a 7-yard scamper to give his team a 24-10 lead.
After Burmeister was injured, Hendon Hooker replaced him at quarterback and fumbled a shotgun snap later in the quarter. The Tigers' Derion Kendrick returned it 66 yards for a touchdown.
Lawrence connected with Cornell Powell on a 65-yard pass play with 10:16 remaining to make it 38-10.
Darien Rencher added a 50-yard scoring run with four minutes left.
The Tigers led 17-10 at halftime.
B.T. Potter's 28-yard field goal opened the scoring for Clemson. Virginia Tech took the lead on Herbert's 4-yard run. Burmeister's 48-yard completion to Tayvion Robinson highlighted that drive.
Clemson regained the lead on Lawrence's 17-yard scoring run but Brian Johnson tied it on a 54-yard field goal.
Lyn-J Dixon's 19-yard run with 1:06 remaining in the half put the Tigers back on top.
Virginia Tech nearly scored on a Hail Mary pass as the clock expired but Raheem Blackshear was stopped just shy of the goal line on the 42-yard completion.
--Field Level Media