In an unexpected turn of events, 6-foot-5 true freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence gets the nod to start for the No. 3 ranked Clemson Tigers (4-0) against the Syracuse Orange (4-0) on Saturday afternoon.
The game is scheduled to start at 12 p.m. ET and will be broadcast nationally on ABC. If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can still watch a live stream of the game (or DVR it) on your computer, phone or streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
In addition to a Netflix-like on-demand streaming library, Hulu also offers a bundle of 50-plus live TV channels, including ABC (live in select markets, but even if it isn’t included in your market, you’ll be able to watch the game on the ESPN digital platforms with your Hulu credentials).
You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and if ABC is live in your market, you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app. If ABC isn’t live in your market, scroll down to the “ESPN Platforms” section to see where you can watch.
If you can’t watch live, “Hulu with Live TV” also comes with 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials).
Although ABC isn’t technically part of the Sling TV package, you can sign up for a free 7-day trial of the “Sling Orange” bundle, which includes ESPN3, and you’ll then be able to watch a live stream of the game on the ESPN digital platforms (see next section).
ESPN Platforms
You can watch a live stream of the game on your computer via ESPN.com, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Games on ABC (labeled as ESPN3) can be watched for free without cable if you have a participating internet service provider (ISP), but even if you don’t have a participating ISP, you can still sign use your Hulu or Sling TV (or other cable TV) credentials to sign in and watch the game on the ESPN digital platforms.
Preview
In a commanding 49-21 win against ACC foe Georgia Tech last week, Lawrence finished 13-for-18 with 176 yards, four touchdowns and just one interception. It was the type of performance that opened some eyebrows across the country, including the eyes of his own head coach, Dabo Swinney.
Lawrence takes over for senior Kelly Bryant, who was officially “benched” in favor of Lawrence in the win against the Yellow Jackets. On Tuesday, Swinney commented on how Lawrence’s play has given him the edge, and how he rationalized his decision to transition from Bryant to Lawrence.
“We’ve played four games now and it’s a difficult thing, man, it’s a tough day, but it’s just where we are. I’ve told y’all that many times that if we saw a change, if there was a change, we’d probably all know it, and that’s what happened Saturday. And Kelly didn’t do anything wrong. He played well. But Trevor, after four games, productivity and just the sheer data, he deserves to run out there first this game.”
After Swinney gave Bryant a day off Monday to process the decision, Bryant missed practice Tuesday for “undisclosed reasons.” Bryant, who has only played in four games in 2018, took advantage of a new NCAA eligibility rule, allowing him to transfer and redshirt in 2019 for another program.
Clemson moves on with Lawrence.
Meanwhile, the Orange are 4-0. As proud as Jim Boeheim would be, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. The Orange are off to their first 4-0 start since 1991.
The Orange’s offense has been rolling too, scoring at least 30 points in each of their four wins this season, including a – at the time – shocking 23-point drubbing against Florida State. This is because of senior quarterback Eric Dungey.
Dungey, a four-year starter, is having an eye-opening offensive outburst himself this season. Through four games, he is completing 62.4% of his passes for 763 yards, nine touchdowns and just one interception, while adding 364 yards (6.9 yards per attempt) and four touchdowns on the ground.