Chris Johnson Jr. runs for 2 TDs and Clemson posts 1st shutout in 5 seasons with 37-0 win over Bucs

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Chris Johnson Jr. ran for two touchdowns and Clemson posted its first shoutout in five seasons by blanking Football Championship Subdivision opponent Charleston Southern 37-0 on Saturday.

The Tigers (4-2) scored on their first five possessions including runs of 6 and 2 yards by Johnson, the senior who transferred to Clemson from SMU this past offseason. The win improved the Tigers to 41-0 against teams from the FCS.

“We definitely made some strides,” Johnson said, noting it was the most points the offense has put up in a game this season. “But we've got more to go to get where we want.”

It was a welcome result for the Tigers who were beaten here 41-13 by Atlantic Coast Conference favorite Miami two weeks ago. The offense ran for 231 yards after being held to 55 by Miami while the defense held a team scoreless for the first time since defeating rival South Carolina 30-0 in 2021.

“Fun to see us play well. Fun to see us execute, best we have as a team all season,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said.

On special teams, Clemson forced a fumble on a kickoff that safety Kylon Griffin scooped and scored a TD and kicker Nolan Hauser hit three field goals including a career long 59 yarder in the final minute before halftime.

Tailback Gideon Davidson had a 7-yard TD run and a game-high 59 yards rushing.

Hauser had the only points of the second half with his final field goal from 44 yards. His kick before the break from 59 yards out inched over the crossbar. It surpassed his previous long — and perhaps best known make — of 56 yards in a walk-off field goal that lifted the Tigers to the 2024 ACC title over SMU.

Charleston Southern: The Buccaneers have had a strong start to the season and posted a 49-39 win over FCS ranked team South Carolina State a week ago. They take home $450,000 from their visit to Clemson.

Clemson: The Tigers hope to build on this performance going forward. The defense held their opponents to 0-of-11 on third down and stopped both of Charleston Southern's fourth down tries. Quarterback Tait Reynolds went 17 of 26 without a turnover and Clemson had its second game this season with 200-plus yards rushing.

Clemson offensive lineman Elyjah Thurmon was honored to carry the American flag down the hill during his team's traditional game-day entrance in celebrating Military Appreciation Day. He was chosen because both his parents served in the Army and all three were honored during a first-half break with the son's big arms wrapped around his father on one side and his mom on the other. The Clemson junior from Rienzi, Mississippi is chasing a football career, but if that falters might chose to follow his parents into the military. “That could happen,” he said with a smile.

Charleston Southern coach Gabe Giardina's father, Frank, died this past Sunday, leading to some speculation he might miss the Clemson game. But the younger Giardina called his experience so soon after losing his parent “more relief than grief” and something he believed honored his dad, who spent more than 40 years in college athletics at Marshall, East Carolina and Penn State.

Charleston Southern plays at Tennessee State on Saturday.

Clemson stays at home to face Virginia Tech on Saturday night.

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