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Clemson rebounds with rout of the Citadel

Sep 7, 2008 - 12:28 AM CLEMSON, South Carolina (Ticker) -- Clemson got its vaunted running game - and season - back on track Saturday.

C.J. Spiller rushed for three touchdowns and James Davis ran for 107 yards, leading No. 22 Clemson to a 45-17 victory over the Citadel.

Spiller scored on runs of 37, 1 and 17 yards as the Tigers (1-1) rebounded from last week's disappointing 34-10 loss to Alabama by routing the Bulldogs of the Football Championship Subdivision.

Davis scored the game's first touchdown from 38 yards out with 10 seconds left in the first quarter.

"We established a running game this week after having a poor performance last week," Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said. "The players did well from the beginning."

Last week, Alabama limited Clemson's talented backfield tandem of Davis and Spiller - nicknamed "Thunder and Lightning" - to a combined 20 yards. Overall, the Tigers rushed for a net of zero yards.

On Saturday, Davis and Spiller combined for 183 of Clemson's 252 rushing yards as the Tigers rolled up 526 yards of total offense.

"The offensive line played well today," Bowden said. "The biggest thing was that they learned to work together. Last week they saw the level of intensity they needed to have as we go into conference play."

Spiller followed Davis' opening score with a pair of touchdown runs on the next two possessions to give the Tigers a 21-0 lead.

The Citadel (1-1) scored its first touchdown with 1:42 left in the first half when Bart Blanchard connected with Andre Roberts for a 41-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 21-7 at halftime.

Roberts finished with nine catches for 153 yards.

"Andre Roberts did a great job," Citadel coach Kevin Higgins said. "He got behind defenders and caught the football in critical situations. It was harder for him when Clemson put two defenders on him, but overall he did a great job."

Spiller responded with his third rushing score midway through the third quarter, and Clemson quarterback Cullen Harper lofted a 26-yard touchdown pass to tight end Michael Palmer to put the Tigers ahead, 35-7, with just over four minutes left in third.

Harper completed 14-of-18 passes for 192 yards.

"Our offense moved the ball at times, but our defense turned the football over," Higgins said. "I told the guys in the locker room that there were enough good points into today's game that give us hope for the season. Unfortunately, we had too many penalties on defense and turnovers on offense that we need to work on."

Safety Michael Hamlin intercepted three passes and the Tigers held Citadel, which averaged better than 191 yards on the ground last season, to 89 rushing yards.

"Michael Hamlin is a smart player," Bowden said. "He had three interceptions which tied the school record today. (Defensive coordinator) Vic Koenning had a good plan putting him in the middle so that he could read the quarterback. He's a great player and leader for us."

The Citadel added a touchdown in the closing minutes when freshman wide receiver Luke Caldwell caught a 50-yard TD pass from backup quarterback Cam Turner.

"The result is what the result is," Higgins said. "I'm going to take more positives than negatives out of this game going into our next game. Clemson is a great team, and I'm proud of the effort our players showed today."