STANFORD AT NO. 17 CLEMSON
Records: Stanford 2-1, 1-0 ACC. Clemson 2-1, 1-0 ACC
Kickoff: 4 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium, Clemson
TV: ESPN
Radio: KNBR 1050 AM
Series history: First regular-season meeting. The only previous meeting between the Cardinal and Tigers came in the 1986 Gator Bowl, which Clemson won 27-21.
Stanford storylines: Stanford won its first-ever ACC game last week, knocking off Syracuse 26-24 on a 39-yard field goal as time expired by Emmet Kenney, who has made all eight field goals this season. Stanford ranks third nationally and leads the ACC by allowing just 51.7 yards per game on the ground. In the win over Syracuse, Stanford allowed just 26 rushing yards. The Cardinal will play its second straight East Coast game and are traveling roughly 2,200 miles, the farthest distance an opponent has traveled to face the Tigers in Clemson all-time (the previous record was roughly 2,000 by Long Beach State in 2000).
Clemson storylines: The Tigers have dominated unranked teams, outscoring Appalachian State and N.C. State by a combined score of 125-55 in Death Valley. Clemson has led 35-0 and 28-0 and QB Cade Klubnik has led the offense to touchdowns on 15 of 17 drives during that winning streak. Clemson is 99-9 at home under Dabo Swinney, who would tie Bobby Bowden for the most career victories leading an ACC program with 173 if the Tigers win on Saturday.
Stats that matter: Tigers have also won 21 straight night games in Death Valley dating back to 2013. … The Cardinal are 4-2 on the road under Troy Taylor, including three fourth-quarter comebacks. … Last year, the Cardinal defense allowed 461.7 yards per game, the most in program history. This season, they are limiting opponents to just 350.3 yards per game, and have recorded five turnovers. … Stanford receiver Ismael Cisse’s 19 receptions are the most by a freshman in the country this season, with Kam Shanks of UAB next closest at 15 receptions.
— Harold Gutmann