Trevor Terrific: 5 TDs for Lawrence
Trevor Lawrence wasn’t focused on his near-record streak of passes without an interception, just as he has tuned out speculation he could be the first pick in next year’s NFL draft.
Lawrence just had his mind on leading Clemson’s offense and having fun.
He brushed off the first interception he has thrown this season and passed for a career-high 404 yards and five touchdowns as No. 1 Clemson overwhelmed Georgia Tech 73-7 on Saturday.
Led by Lawrence, Clemson’s 671 yards and 73 points were the most allowed by Georgia Tech in the modern era.
“It’s really fun,” Lawrence said. “That’s why we practice and work so hard to get the details right and be on the same page... It’s a lot of fun when your team plays like that offensively and defensively.”
Lawrence completed 24 of 33 passes. All of his scoring passes came in the Tigers’ dominant first half.
“It’s the highest level of football I’ve seen out of him,” Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said. “It’s what everybody in the building expects and what he expects from himself... He’s doing an unbelievable job of blocking out any external noise about the future and the biggest thing is he’s being present in the moment.”
Clemson led 52-7 at halftime and kept adding to the lead in the second half, even with second- and third- (and maybe fourth-) stringers on the field.
Lawrence left the game after Clemson’s first possession of the second half.
Clemson (5-0, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) allowed only 204 yards and had a dominant 29-7 advantage in first downs.
The second-longest streak of passes without an interception in ACC history ended late in the first quarter when Zamari Walton picked off a pass by Lawrence. It ended Lawrence’s streak of 367 passes without an interception, falling short of the ACC record of 379 set by North Carolina State’s Russell Wilson from 200809.
Lawrence shrugged off the missed chance at the ACC mark.
“I didn’t really add much pressure to myself,” he said.
Otherwise, it was one of the best games of Lawrence’s career. His previous high was four touchdown passes. He passed that mark in the first half, connecting for two scoring passes with Amari Rodgers.