Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence will not play vs. No. 4 Notre Dame
The ACC’s top five showdown will not include Trevor Lawrence.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said after the Tigers’ comeback win over Boston College that his star QB would not play against Notre Dame on Nov. 7. Clemson announced Thursday night that Lawrence had tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.
Lawrence, the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, said he was experiencing mild symptoms. ACC protocols require a player to sit out for a minimum of 10 days following a positive test and a re-acclimatization period follows that 10-day window.
"You got the 10 days, but then you have the cardiac part,” Swinney said. “He won't be able to get through that in time to play next week."
True freshman D.J. Uiagalelei started in Lawrence’s place in a 34-28 win over Boston College. Uiagalelei will likely start again in Lawrence’s place against Notre Dame.
The matchup between No. 1 Clemson and Notre Dame has been the most-anticipated ACC game of the season. And there’s a decent chance we could see a rematch with Lawrence involved later this season.
Since Notre Dame is a member of the ACC in this pandemic-impacted 2020 season, the Irish are eligible for the ACC title game. The top two teams by winning percentage will meet for the conference title at the end of the season.
Uiagalelei was 30-of-41 passing for 342 yards and two touchdowns against the Eagles and also had a 30-yard touchdown run that helped Clemson close the gap in the second half. Clemson trailed 28-13 at halftime to BC but scored 21 unanswered points in the second half for the win.
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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.
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