Clemson Tigers Star Running Back Highlighted As X-Factor Against Pitt

The Clemson Tigers running back is the biggest key to victory against the Pittsburgh Panthers on Saturday.

Nov 9, 2024; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Clemson Tigers running back Phil Mafah (7) runs the ball against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the first quarter at Lane Stadium. / Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers have leaned heavily on their star running back to get them through ACC play and that will not change at all against the Pittsburgh Panthers this weekend.

In previewing the massive matchup, Pro Football Focus' Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman highlighted Tigers senior Phil Mafah as the X-factor when Clemson faces the Panthers defense.

"When Pittsburgh has struggled to defend the run, it has struggled to stop teams between the tackles. The Tigers average the eighth-most yards per carry between the tackles this season with 6.5 on average. Clemson should ride its run game for as long as possible in this matchup," said the writers.

Mafah is in the middle of the best season of his career, which has been kicked into high gear ever since the game against the Florida State Seminoles.

He has averaged 24 carries for 127 yards and just over one touchdown a game since. His new workhorse role has highlighted what he does best, wear defenses down.

The senior complimented the quicker, shiftier Will Shipley in the past. Now that he has the spotlight on him, he has shined. This game will certainly give him one of his tougher tasks yet, however.

The Panthers are actually one of the better run defenses in the country, so keeping Mafah going will not be an easy task.

They currently rank No. 19 in the country in run defense, allowing their opponents just 109.8 yards on the ground per game. That includes an impressive 2.89 yards per rush.

That actually makes them the toughest unit they have faced this season, as the Georgia Bulldogs sit just behind them at No. 21.

Mafah ran the ball 16 times against the Bulldogs and garnered just 59 yards from it. It is by far his least efficient outing of the year.

His next lowest yards per rush came against the Virginia Cavaliers, who are actually the next best run defense they have faced at No. 50 nationally. The star was still able to pick up 78 yards and two score on 18 carries, however.

Pittsburgh isn't invincible, though. Their first loss of the season came a couple of weeks ago to the SMU Mustangs. That game was dictated by Mustangs running back Brashard Smith.

Smith ran the ball a whopping 23 times in that matchup for 161 yards and two trips to the end zone. This is the game that the Tigers will want to emulate on Saturday.