The Miami Hurricanes' powerhouse offense silenced Death Valley and dismantled Clemson with a relentless ground game and six sacks to signal a seismic shift in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
MIAMI, Fla. – What was once a loud and hostile environment at Death Valley (Memorial Stadium) was quickly silenced, as the No. 4 Miami Hurricanes propelled to a 41-13 win over Clemson on Saturday night.
It marks the Tigers’ second-worst home loss margin since Dabo Swinney was named the head coach in 2008. The Hurricanes were nine points shy of the Florida State Seminoles’ 51-14 win in the 2013 college football season.
Historically, the matchup has gone the other way. Before 2023, the Hurricanes had lost four consecutive games against Clemson, including a 58-0 shutout and a 38-3 outing in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game in 2017. Head coach Mario Cristobal lost his first matchup against Swinney in 2020, 40-10.
Swinney has led Clemson to nine ACC titles, including six straight from 2015 to 2020, plus two National Championships in 2016 and 2018. The 56-year-old has built a program into one of the best in college football, but the tide might be shifting.
The Hurricanes, who are coming off the National Championship game last season, were voted the preseason favorites to win the ACC and quarterback Darian Mensah was voted Preseason ACC Player of the Year. After falling a play short of completing “The U’s” turnaround, Cristobal established a new foundation and standard for the Coral Gables program.
In Saturday’s win, five Hurricanes skilled players caught at least two passes. Wide receiver Cooper Barkate led with 98 yards on five catches and scored a touchdown on Mensah’s second pass attempt. Afterwards, the Hurricanes’ run game came alive and delivered bigger punches. Star running back Mark Fletcher Jr. led with 77 rushing yards on 16 carries and scored two touchdowns and freshman Javian Mallory added 63 on 14 attempts.
Clemson had no answer for the Hurricanes’ high-powered scoring and swarming defense. They sacked freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds six times – a new season high for a single game. Hurricanes defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman wanted Clemson to beat them in the passing game while stopping the run, which is exactly what happened. Reynolds completed 29 of 44 passes (both new career highs) and the Tigers finished with 55 total rushing yards.
There have been questions about Swinney’s ability to adapt to today’s college football world of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) and the transfer portal. Despite having a remarkable resume, the program could be forced to evaluate the sitaution deeper in the offseason.
Meanwhile, Cristobal is restoring “The U” to its former glory.
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