Clemson holds off Virginia 41-23

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Trevor Lawrence was happy with Clemson’s win over Virginia. He was also glad the top-ranked Tigers were challenged a bit this early in the season.

Lawrence threw for 329 yards and three touchdowns as Clemson opened 3-0 for the sixth straight year with a 41-23 victory over the Cavaliers on Saturday.

The Tigers (3-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) were not crisp at times against Virginia (1-1, 1-1). However, like so often the past few years when pressed, Clemson and Lawrence found what it took to succeed.

Travis Etienne ran for 115 yards and a score. He also caught a 4-yard scoring pass. Rodgers had two TD catches in the final six minutes of the opening half to give Clemson a 24-3 lead that Virginia could not overcome.

“They jump out on teams so quickly, they put you on your heels and never let you recover,” Cavaliers coach Bronco Mendenhall said.

Virginia, pounded by the Tigers 62-17 last December in the ACC Championship game, fought back to make it 27-17 midway through the third, but Lawrence found Etienne near the goal line for a 4-yard scoring pass.

The Cavaliers put up 417 yards, the most given up by Clemson in an ACC game the last two seasons, and outgained the Tigers on the ground, 147-137.

Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong threw for 270 yards and three touchdowns.

Armstrong thought the Cavaliers had a chance with their strong opening drive of the second half that ended with an interception in the end zone.

“If we had scored there, we would have had good momentum and the outcome of the game could’ve been different, he said.