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Clemson dominates Furman

Sep 16, 2012 - 12:35 AM Clemson, SC (Sports Network) - Tajh Boyd threw for two touchdowns and Andre Ellington added two more scores on the ground, as the 11th-ranked Clemson Tigers dispatched Furman, 41-7, at Memorial Stadium.

Boyd ended 20-of-29 for 310 yards, while Ellington totaled 59 yards on 15 rushes for the Tigers (3-0), who open up ACC action next Saturday against Florida State.

DeAndre Hopkins led all receivers with 95 yards on seven receptions and Sammy Watkins posted a 58-yard run for a touchdown.

Reese Hannon was 19-of-29 for 235 yards, one TD and an interception for the Paladins (0-3), who travel to Presbyterian seven days from now.

Jerodis Williams totaled 87 yards on 19 carries, and Jordan Snellings accounted Furman's lone score thanks to a 37-yard jaunt on his lone catch of the contest.

Furman took the ball inside the hosts' 10-yard line on its first drive, but Hannon was picked off by at the goal line on fourth down. Clemson then moved 80 yards and Ellington capped the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run that proved to be the lone score of the opening quarter.

"We responded and our defense made some great stops and forced some turnovers," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. "More players got some time on the field. We have been making improvements and can apply what we learned, but we are 3-0 and that's right where we want to be."

Watkins then broke loose for a 58-yard dash to the end zone on the first play of the second quarter.

A pair of field goals from Chandler Catanzaro -- from 46 and 22 yards, respectively -- bookended Furman's first score of the day, a 37-yard connection from Hannon to Snellings and the Tigers led 20-7 at the half.

Ellington punctuated Clemson's second drive of the third quarter with a one- yard plunge, and after holding the visitors to three-and-out, Boyd hit Brandon Ford for a 30-yard TD and 34-7 advantage.

Boyd found Martavis Bryant 39 yards away on the second play of the fourth to cap the scoring.

"They have a good scheme," Furman coach Bruce Fowler said. "They execute it well. They have a quarterback who seems to me to be really comfortable in what he's doing. They do a lot of stuff with motion. You're trying to find out where they are, and then they're moving. Those are all things, from a defensive standpoint, that create problems before the ball's ever snapped. Then the ball's snapped, and they're fast."

Game Notes

Clemson leads the all-time series 42-10-2, including 30 wins in a row and have gone undefeated in the last 31 meetings with Furman since its last loss in 1936 ... Furman was held to 110 yards rushing and converted 2-of-14 third downs ... Ryan Culbreath led the Paladins with 69 yards on six grabs.