QB Taylor Lamb’s 3 interceptions lead to Clemson rout of Appalachian State

These were five minutes and three decisions Appalachian State quarterback Taylor Lamb would love to have back.

Through most of the first quarter Saturday the Mountaineers stuck close to 12th-ranked Clemson. Then Lamb threw interceptions to end three consecutive possessions, the first a promising one with the Mountaineers down 3-0 and well across midfield.

By the time all that was over, the Mountaineers trailed 17-0 en route to a 41-10 rout that ended Appalachian State’s seven-game winning streak.

The Tigers (2-0) led 31-0 at halftime, which allowed coach Dabo Swinney to get some starters off the field in the second half. Clemson has a quick turnaround, playing at Louisville Thursday night on ESPN.

Appalachian State (1-1) finally avoided a potential shutout with a 31-yard field goal midway through the third quarter. The Mountaineers added their only touchdown – Lamb’s 1-yard completion to tight end Barrett Burns – early in the fourth quarter.

Three who mattered

Charone Peake: With Mike Williams out for the season with a neck fracture, Clemson needs a new No. 1 receiver. Peake finished the first half with 84 yards and two touchdowns off four receptions.

Taylor Lamb: Appalachian State’s sophomore quarterback made a huge mistake forcing a throw into the end zone after the Mountaineers had driven to the Clemson 24. It was picked off, the first of three interceptions.

Wayne Gallman: The Tigers need a running game to complement quarterback Deshaun Watson. Running back Gallman’s 5.3-yards-per-carry Saturday were a promising sign.

Observations

▪ It was fun watching Clemson defensive tackle Carlos Watkins scoot for the end zone after picking off a Lamb pass. Every 300-pounder should get the chance to run with the ball at least once in his college career.

▪ Appalachian State actually has seven victories against ACC opponents. All seven were against Wake Forest from 1975 through 2000.

▪ A mid-September game at Clemson can be brutally hot and humid. That cold front that moved through the South made for ideal game conditions weather-wise.

▪ Lamb’s picks obscured the fact that the Mountaineers’ interior defense held up just fine against the Tigers’ first-string offense for a quarter. Good sign for the Sun Belt schedule.

Worth mentioning

▪ Watson got thumped in the first half after falling on a bad shotgun snap. He had to come out of the game for a play. He said later he just got the wind knocked out of him.

▪ Saturday’s loss broke Appalachian State’s seven-game winning streak, which was fifth-longest among Football Bowl Subdivision teams. This is the first season the Mountaineers are bowl-eligible as an FBS program. Appalachian State has a bye Saturday.

▪ An early kickoff (12:30 p.m. Saturday) compounds the challenge of getting more than 80,000 fans to Clemson’s stadium in the middle of campus. When the Tigers play at 3:30, the arrivals and departures are more spread out, less choking the roads.

They said it

“We knew watching the video these guys were really good up-front. They’re going to have a lot of success in the Sun Belt.” – Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott on Appalachian State’s defensive line.

“I couldn’t breathe, so I got out for a play, then came right back in.” – Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson on having to leave the game in the first half.

“They were stronger and bigger than we were and, quite frankly, (we got) outmanned.” – Appalachian State coach Scott Satterfield.

This story was originally published September 12, 2015 at 5:44 PM with the headline "QB Taylor Lamb’s 3 interceptions lead to Clemson rout of Appalachian State."