Louisville's defense got off to a very good start in Death Valley, forcing Clemson to go three-and-out on their first two drives of the night. While their offense struggled some to get things going right out of the gates, the Cardinals did strike first, connecting on a 21-yard field goal on their second drive of the game.

Clemson’s defense, which entered Saturday ranked No. 52 nationally, was exposed early and often by the Cardinals, who finished with 366 yards of offense and 6.2 yards per play. Louisville gashed the Tigers on the ground, particularly in the first half, and averaged 10.2 yards per carry heading into the break.