Associated Press Photo
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Sports Network) - Tajh Boyd had five touchdown passes in the first half as No. 14 Clemson rolled to a 42-13 win over Wake Forest in an ACC matchup on Thursday.
Boyd went 27-for-38 with 428 yards while Sammy Watkins had a huge game as he posted eight catches for 202 yards and a score for the Tigers (7-1, 4-1 ACC), who have won four straight since opening conference play with a loss to Florida State.
Tanner Price was 27-for-44 with two touchdown passes and 232 yards for the Demon Deacons (4-4, 2-4), who have dropped three of their last four. Tommy Bohanon caught both touchdowns in the loss.
It was a slow start to the contest as each team punted twice, but Clemson got its offense on-track on its third touch.
Starting at its 20 and following one first down, Boyd lofted a pass down the left sideline that saw Watkins make the catch for a 57-yard play. Two plays later, Boyd dumped the ball off to his right for Brandon Ford, who stretched into the end zone on a 9-yard score and a 7-0 lead with 4:03 to play in the first.
On the first play of the second quarter, Watkins caught another bomb, broke a tackle and raced down the left sideline into the end zone for a 61-yard score and a 14-0 lead.
The Tigers got into the end zone again with a seven-play, 80-yard drive that was capped on a 12-yard catch over the middle and into the end zone by Sam Cooper for a 21-0 lead with 8:36 left in the half.
DeAndre Hopkins and Boyd got together for a 12-yard score with 3:56 to play and, following a fumble recovery by the Tigers in Demon Deacons territory, Boyd and Charone Peake combined for a 2-yard score and a 35-0 lead with 1:18 to play.
The Demon Deacons quickly got down the field and put seven points on the board as Price hit Bohanon for an 8-yard score to make it a 35-7 game at the break.
Wake Forest was able to cut further into its deficit in the third quarter. On 3rd-and-2, Josh Harris busted a run for 43 yards down to the Clemson 18. On the next play, Price and Bohanon got together for another score. The extra point failed and it was a 35-13 game with 7:45 left in the frame.
Clemson, though, put down any attempts at a comeback with a five-minute drive in the fourth that covered 86 yards and on the 13th play D.J. Howard punched the ball into the end zone from a yard out for a 42-13 lead with under eight minutes to play.