Personal Injury Attorney in Clemson, SC

So much for using the off week to get better.

The No. 11 Clemson football team put up a clunker in a 33-21 home loss to unranked Louisville on Saturday night, and the Tigers’ path to the College Football Playoff just got a lot tougher because of it.

Coach Dabo Swinney’s team came out flat from the start. They allowed the Cardinals to gash them defensively while tripping over their own feet on offense, over and over and over. And a late scoring surge simply wasn’t enough.

Trailing by 19 points in the fourth quarter, the Tigers scored a touchdown to get within 26-13 and then, without hesitation, chose to kick an extra point to make it 26-14 to cut their deficit to 12 points with 6 minutes remaining.

That was an interesting decision, as going for two would’ve put Clemson down 11 points (26-15) and given the Tigers a chance to even the game on the off chance they got another touchdown and conversion plus a field goal (instead of two TDs).

It didn’t matter, as Louisville recovered the ensuing onside kick. It looked like a Clemson player might have recovered it, too, but refs upheld the UL recovery after a review, prompting fans to throw bottles onto the field.

After refs confirmed it was Louisville’s ball, the Cardinals immediately scored a 45-yard touchdown to go back up three scores (33-14). Clemson scored again (33-21), failed to recover the onside kick and got a stop and the ball back.

But with the Tigers trailing by 12 points and with no timeouts, they couldn’t stop the clock and time ran out with the offense at Louisville’s 13-yard line.

The end result: Clemson snapped a six-game winning streak and fell to 6-2 and 5-1 in the ACC with two conference games remaining, at Virginia Tech and at Pitt.

The Tigers are now 1-3 in their last four games directly following an off week and have lost three in a row after their late-season off week: At Notre Dame in 2022, at Miami in 2023 and now against Louisville at home.

All three teams were unranked.

Louisville (6-3, 4-2 ACC) won its first ever game against Clemson in nine tries and snapped the Tigers’ 22-game winning streak in home night games.

College football fortunes can change at any moment, but Clemson’s second loss puts the Tigers in a position where they have to get to the ACC championship game — and win it — to feel truly confident in their chances of making the 12-team field.

Making the league title game is still a possibility as Clemson has just one conference loss, but with the way the Tigers played Saturday night, their path to Charlotte looks quite daunting, with road meetings with VT and Pitt looming.

“We did not play anywhere near our best tonight,” Swinney said. “It hurts. It’s a missed opportunity. A huge missed opportunity. We didn’t deserve to win. They absolutely deserved to win tonight, so give them all the credit.”

For the first time since the season opener against Georgia, something felt truly off for Clemson. And not just on offense or defense — the struggles came across the board.

Through the team’s first two offensive drives, quarterback Cade Klubnik was 3-5 for … 0 yards. Clemson’s defense allowed a third-and-13 conversion on its first drive and a 47-yard run — on a wide receiver reverse — on its second drive.

Somehow, Clemson still got out of the first quarter with a 7-3 lead courtesy of a 12-yard Klubnik pass to Antonio Williams right before the end of the period.

But that wasn’t indicative of the on-field vibes, which saw Louisville march into Memorial Stadium unfazed, move the ball with ease on Clemson and get an early field goal and hold its own against a dynamic Tigers offense.

After an early touchdown, Clemson couldn’t get out of its own way. Klubnik put a pass on the money to wide receiver T.J. Moore in the second quarter, and he dropped it. Klubnik had another pass batted down on third down with an open receiver.

Louisville went up 10-7 in the second quarter on an impressive somersaulting touchdown run by veteran quarterback Tyler Shough and kept Clemson off the board — again — by blocking kicker Nolan Hauser’s 49-yard field goal attempt with about two minutes until halftime.

Louisville then cruised down the field for another touchdown and took a 17-7 lead into the break after Clemson — true to form — had a promising before-halftime drive fizzle out when tight end Jake Briningstool couldn’t hang onto a catchable pass.

Things only got worse in the third quarter, as Louisville put together three more scoring drives — all Brock Travelstead field goals. The last of those came after UL stopped the Tigers on a fourth-and-1 from their own 34-yard line (RB Phil Mafah got stuffed) in what felt like a do-or-die moment.

While Travelstead sank field goals of 42, 40 and 49 yards, Clemson’s offense — which came in averaging 42 points and 490.4 yards per game — looked lost and played its worst game since the season-opening loss to Georgia by a mile.

Trailing by 19 points and three possessions late in the third quarter, Clemson’s offense lacked urgency getting down the field. Then, on fourth-and-7 from Louisville’s 7, the Tigers opted to take a short field goal.

Hauser’s attempt was blocked. Again.

The freshman kicker has now had five kicks blocked this season (four field goals and an extra point), and Clemson walking away with zero points on that possession spelled doom in a game where it struggled to get points most of the night.

The Tigers’ late touchdown got them to within 26-14, but Louisville’s offense gashed the Tigers’ defense again to take another three-possession lead.

Running back Mafah’s second touchdown of the fourth quarter cut it to 33-21 (12 points) again, but Louisville recovered a second onside kick afterward to eventually close things out and give Clemson at least one home loss for a third straight season.

The final stats made for an odd contrast: Clemson outgained Louisville 450 to 366 in total offensive yardage and 31 to 19 in first downs, had 200-plus rushing and passing yards and ran 101 plays. Somehow, the Tigers still lost by 12.

“Really proud of our football team ... to come on the road in this environment against a really good team that was hot and just make plays” was impressive, Brohm said. “We played with great tempo, got stops ... It’s a big win for our program.”

The Tigers, meanwhile, have thrown a self-inflicted wrench into their ACC championship game hopes (and the CFP autobid that would come with it).

“We don’t control our destiny anymore, and that’s the disappointing part because we were right here,” Swinney said. “We were in control coming in and now we’re not, but the one thing we do control is how we respond.

“We’ve gotta go try to find a way to win the next one.”

Who: Clemson (6-2, 5-1 ACC) at Virginia Tech (5-4, 3-2 ACC)

When: 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9

Where: Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia

TV: ESPN

This story was originally published November 2, 2024, 11:24 PM.

The State

Chapel Fowler has covered Clemson football, among other topics, for The State since June 2022. He’s a Denver, N.C., native, a UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus and a pickup basketball enthusiast with previous stops at the Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer and Chatham (N.C.) News + Record. His work has been honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors, South Carolina Press Association and North Carolina Press Association.

A Louisville player was transported to a local hospital after suffering an unspecified injury during Saturday night’s game versus Clemson.

The postgame word was that he was doing OK after the Cardinals upset the No. 11 Tigers, 31-22, in a primetime game at Memorial Stadium.

Cardinals defensive back Benjamin Perry was injured during the first quarter of the Clemson-Louisville game and spent about five minutes laying down on the field.

Louisville’s football X/Twitter account offered this positive news Sunday morning on Perry, saying: “All tests on Ben Perry came back normal. He was able to fly back to Louisville on Sunday morning with the team and will continue to be evaluated by the UofL sports medicine staff this week.”

Louisville coach Jeff Brohm and Clemson coach Dabo Swinney both spent time checking on Perry before he eventually walked off the field (with the assistance of trainers) wearing a neck brace Saturday night.

Shortly afterward, the ESPN broadcast showed Perry leaving the field on a stretcher attached to a golf cart. ESPN sideline reporter Kris Budden reported that Perry was taken into an ambulance and to a local hospital for further evaluation.

Although Louisville had not provided a specific injury update on Perry during the game, Budden said that the linebacker continued to wear a neck brace while strapped onto the cart and was “alert and talking” as he left Memorial Stadium.

Budden added in another update that Perry was being transported to a hospital in Greenville, South Carolina (roughly 45 minutes from Clemson) for an MRI and he had been speaking to his mother on the phone after his injury.

Brohm said postgame he hadn’t been able to get in touch yet with team personnel on Perry’s status but knew the safety had “some numbness in his legs.”

“We were gonna make sure that the neck was stabilized,” Brohm said. “I have not heard the latest.”

Swinney added postgame that Louisville was taking “a lot of precautions” with Perry, which he appreciated and agreed with.

“Hopefully he’s OK,” Swinney said. “I know they put him in a neck thing. Just trying to make sure that everything was gonna check out OK. So hopefully he will be.”

Perry is a fourth-year defensive back for the Cardinals from Chicago.

Following a lengthy delay, Louisville safety Benjamin Perry is helped off of the field after his neck is stabilized. Both Louisville's Jeff Brohm and Clemson's Dabo Swinney were on the field to check in on Perry as he was being treated. pic.twitter.com/n0JkI45XXM

— The Comeback (@thecomeback) November 3, 2024

An update on Benjamin Perry from Kris Budden.Perry was placed on a stretcher and then on the medical cart, where he was taken to an ambulance. https://t.co/Tvn6UOdxkB pic.twitter.com/SovhLWHsxH

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 3, 2024

Kris Budden reports Benjamin Perry is going to a hospital for an MRI. "I also watched as he was able to talk to his mom on the phone. She's not here. But he was able to talk to her before he left." pic.twitter.com/45pgWnoV6F

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 3, 2024

This story was originally published November 2, 2024, 9:02 PM.

After an off week, the Clemson football team enters the stretch run of its 2024 season with a home night game against a conference opponent.

Here’s your gameday guide for the No. 11 Tigers’ meeting with Louisville.

Clemson is a 10-point home favorite against Louisville on Saturday, according to the VegasInsider consensus betting line. That two-score spread is the closest for a Tigers game since they closed as a 10.5-point underdog to No. 1 Georgia in Week 1.

Since losing to Georgia, Clemson has been favored by at least 16.5 points in all of its past six games and at least 20 points on three occasions. Louisville, which is unranked but receiving votes in both major polls, has forced Vegas’ hand.

Expect a crisp fall night in Death Valley. According to Weather.com’s 10-day forecast, Clemson will see a high of 79 degrees on Saturday afternoon. Sunset is around 6:35 p.m. (an hour before kickoff) and temperatures will drop to 59 degrees at night.

Weather is “partly cloudy,” with light winds and a 23% chance of rain.

As of Oct. 28

Offense

QB: Cade Klubnik (Christopher Vizzina)

RB: Phil Mafah (Jay Haynes OR Keith Adams Jr.)

Outside WR: Antonio Williams OR T.J. Moore (Cole Turner)

Slot WR: Tyler Brown OR Troy Stellato (Misun Kelley)

Outside WR: Bryant Wesco Jr. OR Adam Randall (Cole Turner)

TE: Jake Briningstool (Olsen Patt-Henry)

LT: Tristan Leigh OR Collin Sadler (Elyjah Thurmon)

LG: Marcus Tate OR Collin Sadler (Trent Howard)

C: Ryan Linthicum (Harris Sewell)

RG: Walker Parks (Trent Howard)

RT: Blake Miller (Collin Sadler)

Defense

DE: Peter Woods (Jaheim Lawson)

DT: Payton Page OR Tré Williams (Vic Burley)

DT: DeMonte Capehart OR Tré Williams (Stephiylan Green)

DE: T.J. Parker (Cade Denhoff)

Strongside LB: Wade Woodaz (Jamal Anderson)

Middle LB: Wade Woodaz (Sammy Brown OR Dee Crayton)

Weakside LB: Barrett Carter (Sammy Brown OR Dee Crayton)

CB: Avieon Terrell (Shelton Lewis)

SS: Kylon Griffin OR Tyler Venables (Ricardo Jones)

FS: R.J. Mickens (Tyler Venables)

Nickelback: Khalil Barnes (Shelton Lewis)

CB: Jeadyn Lukus (Ashton Hampton)

Special teams

PK: Nolan Hauser (Robert Gunn III)

P: Aidan Swanson (Jack Smith)

KO: Robert Gunn III

LS (PK): Holden Caspersen

LS (P): Philip Florenzo

H: Clay Swinney

PR: Antonio Williams

KOR: Jay Haynes (Jay Haynes)

This story was originally published November 1, 2024, 8:00 AM.

The State

Chapel Fowler has covered Clemson football, among other topics, for The State since June 2022. He’s a Denver, N.C., native, a UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus and a pickup basketball enthusiast with previous stops at the Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer and Chatham (N.C.) News + Record. His work has been honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors, South Carolina Press Association and North Carolina Press Association.

As Hurricane Helene swept through Clemson in the early hours of Friday, Sept. 27, it left behind a trail of downed trees and powerlines, damaged property and widespread power outages.

With winds reaching up to 40 mph, the storm wreaked havoc across the region, scattering debris and creating roadblocks that hindered emergency response efforts and made travel nearly impossible.

By the time residents awoke, the extent of the damage was evident. Many residents found themselves trapped in their neighborhoods due to uprooted trees blocking major roads and driveways, while some trees fell directly onto vehicles, crushing roofs and shattering windshields.

On Friday, Clemson Area Transit bus services were suspended due to hazardous conditions. Although bus routes resumed on Saturday morning, local officials advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel until the roads were cleared of debris.

The destruction left by Hurricane Helene has caused many South Carolina residents to question when their lives will be back to normal.

“Power companies are working around the clock. We have thousands of people out all over the state, and we’ll have some details in a moment on that,” Henry McMaster, governor of South Carolina, said during a press conference on Sunday afternoon. “This is something that’s going to require some patience. We haven’t seen anything quite like this before, particularly in this part of the state. It is a devastating blow, but we can make it through.”

The South Carolina Emergency Management Division remains at OPCON 1 as of Tuesday, Oct. 1, indicating a full alert status where a disaster is imminent or occurring. This status ensures that the State Emergency Operations Center is fully activated, with all agency personnel on standby to respond to the ongoing crisis.

Local authorities have been coordinating closely with state officials to assess the situation and deploy resources effectively.

The impact of Hurricane Helene has extended far beyond Clemson, with the storm resulting in at least 160 fatalities across six states, including South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee, as of Tuesday, Oct. 1.

North Carolina has reported the highest number of deaths, with at least 73 confirmed fatalities, according to state and county officials. South Carolina has declared the loss of at least 36 individuals, including two firefighters in Saluda County, South Carolina, who lost their lives while responding to emergencies caused by the storm.

Georgia has recorded 25 deaths, with two fatalities attributed to a tornado that struck Alamo, Georgia. In Florida, officials reported at least 15 deaths, several due to drowning incidents in Pinellas County, Florida. Virginia and Tennessee have also faced losses, with nine and two fatalities reported, respectively.

The storm’s impact on transportation has caused challenges in the Carolinas. Approximately 300 roads were still closed in North Carolina and another 150 in South Carolina on Sunday, according to Kristin White, an acting federal highway administrator from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

These closures have obstructed the delivery of essential supplies, including water, to communities in need. The lack of access to clean water has created an urgent situation, requiring rapid response efforts to relieve affected residents.

Over 1 million residents remained without power across South Carolina days after the hurricane made landfall. Laurens Electric Cooperative had managed to restore power to 34% of its customers by Sunday evening, down from a peak of 98% outages, while Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative reported that 57% of its members were still lacking service over 50 hours after landfall. In total, about 218,000 consumers in South Carolina were still without electricity on Monday, and restoration efforts are ongoing.

The damage caused by Hurricane Helene has been described as “unprecedented” by Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina, with destruction surpassing that of Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Thousands of power poles have snapped, and many substations are currently offline.

Officials urge residents to stay away from downed power lines and to use generators safely. Emergency services are currently on standby to assist those needing medical care, ensuring that help is available for individuals facing health crises amid the chaos. While the situation fluctuates, local officials are continually monitoring developments to keep the community informed.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation has mobilized over 2,300 employees to work around the clock to clear roads and repair traffic signals. Their efforts are helping restore access and ensure emergency vehicles can navigate the streets to respond to urgent calls.

In the days following the storm, reports from the Department of Public Safety indicate that troopers have responded to 3,854 incidents related to the storm, a sign of the scale of the emergency response needed.

The South Carolina Department of Commerce is also working with public-private partnerships to address the needs of businesses affected by the storm, including grocery stores and pharmacies, that are important for the community’s recovery.

The situation remains critical as recovery continues, with extensive work needed to restore power and normalcy to affected areas. While the storm has passed, the cleanup and recovery efforts are just beginning.

Residents in Clemson and surrounding communities have faced an uncertain week as they navigate the challenges posed by the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Local officials remind residents to be patient and stay informed through official channels as restoration efforts unfold. Community resilience will be crucial in overcoming the challenges ahead, and as services gradually return, the cleanup process will continue.

As Clemson remains in recovery mode, the community is united in rebuilding after this catastrophic storm. As services gradually return, the cleanup process will move forward, but the effects of Hurricane Helene will be felt in the community for some time.

BANANA BALL RULES | BANANAS YOUTUBE

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Savannah Bananas Baseball Club has selected Clemson University’s Memorial Stadium, also known as Death Valley, as one of its sites on the 2025 Banana Ball World Tour during their city draft, held Thursday night in Savannah, Ga. The game between the Bananas and the Party Animals is scheduled to take place on April 26, 2025, with tickets to be sold and managed by the Bananas organization and broadcast information to be announced at a later date.

Fans must join the lottery list by Nov. 1, 2024 in order to have the opportunity to purchase tickets.

“We are beyond excited to welcome the Bananas to the Valley,” said Director of Athletics Graham Neff, who helped organize the event on Clemson’s behalf. “The Bananas’ innovation in the sports and entertainment space is world-class, and we are delighted to open our doors to fans from all over as part of the World Tour. The atmosphere in Death Valley is as good as it gets, and we are eager to help create an unforgettable experience when the Bananas come to town in April 2025.”

Clemson’s 81,500-seat stadium would give the club the opportunity to break its single-game attendance record, which now stands at more than 45,000 after a Sept. 22, 2024 trip to Citizens Bank Ballpark in Philadelphia, Pa.

Memorial Stadium, in addition to playing as the home to Clemson’s National Championship Football program, has also hosted many previous world-class events, including The George Strait Country Music Festival, The Rolling Stones, Living Colour, Pink Floyd, Elton John, U2, the Eagles and Billy Joel.

Additional promotional events will be announced in the near future.

Ticket Lottery Sign-up Deadline: Nov. 1, 2024

Ticket Link to Sign Up: https://thesavannahbananas.com/tickets/

MORE TICKET INFORMATION FROM THE BANANAS:

Join the Ticket Lottery List before it closes on November 1, 2024. Joining the list doesn’t guarantee the opportunity to buy tickets. A random drawing will take place about 2 months before the event for the chance to purchase available tickets. If you’re drawn, you’ll have an opportunity to purchase tickets.

The Ticket Lottery List will close on November 1, 2024. Once the lists close, fans will join the Ticket Wait List. There is no guarantee to have the opportunity to purchase tickets if fans join the Ticket Wait List, but fans will be notified if tickets do become available.