CLEMSON, S.C. – Clemson’s defense set the tone and the running game picked up 207 yards to lead the Tigers (4-2, 2-2 ACC) to a 17-12 win over Wake Forest (3-2, 0-2) at Memorial Stadium on Homecoming. With the win, Head Coach Dabo Swinney earned his 165th career victory to tie College Football Hall of Famer Frank Howard (165 from 1940-69) as the winningest head coach in Clemson history.
Will Shipley’s touchdown run late in the fourth quarter gave the Tigers some breathing room, and the Tigers recovered an onside kick with 1:34 to play after a Wake Forest touchdown. Phil Mafah ran for 33 yards on the game’s final drive to help Clemson run out the clock to defeat the Demon Deacons for the 15th straight time in the series.
Here is what Swinney had to say:
- "It was a great win. Sometimes you got to win games like that to keep growing."
- "This was a gritty win. Sometimes you gotta win those to keep growing ... Our goal was to find a way to win and we did that, created some momentum heading into the bye week"
- Swinney didn't know starting CB Sheridan Jones would be out "until Tiger Walk."
- "He was feeling kind of sick and nauseous on the bus ride oer, he could hardly look at the sun. They are running some tests on him."
- “Offensively, incredibly frustrating in the first half, came out the second half and rushed for 167 yards, very gritty win"
- "The last time they scored 12 points, I became the head coach the next week."
- On tying Frank Howard's win record:"It's a blessing to be a part of it. Most of all it's a reflection of all the great players, coaches, the support staff that we've had. Most of all, it's a reflection of team. Everything great in life that I've accomplished in life has come through team. I've tried to do my part. I truly have stood on the shoulders of giants. To me, it feels like yesterday that we were loading up to go to BC to just win a game. Honestly, I can tell you it's not something that I ever dreamed about or set out to do.""
- "I’m 53 now but I still feel like I’m 40 and I know I still got a lot of years ahead of me."
- “53 is about Weitz’s range, Gunn hasn’t kicked at all in practice has had a little bit of inflammation in his leg.”
- Antonio Williams and Nate Wiggins: "They are both really close. This (the bye) is huge for them."
- "I think both of those guys will be ready to roll when we go down to Miami"
- On the roughing the passer call: "I'll probably get in trouble for speaking on it, so I'll just plead the fifth on that one."
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