CLEMSON, S.C. -- Clemson had enough of the late-game drama.

The Tigers, who have won five games by a touchdown or less this season, took a more direct route to victory on Saturday afternoon, rolling to a 30-point halftime lead in an eventual 54-0 romp against Syracuse at Memorial Stadium.

Clemson (9-0, 6-0 ACC), ranked No. 2 in the College Football Playoff rankings, took control from the outset, building on a 10-0 first-quarter lead with 20 points and 330 yards in the second quarter. Deshaun Watson left the game for good with a bruised shoulder late in the first half, but the Tigers continued their onslaught even with the junior quarterback applying ice on the bench.

Clemson's backups put the finishing touches on the school-record 21st consecutive home victory, tacking on 24 second-half points for good measure and marching closer to a second straight undefeated regular season.

Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey wasn't as fortunate. He left the game with 3:11 left in the first quarter after absorbing a hard hit at the end of a 6-yard run and did not return.

"The medical people haven't given me the details," Syracuse coach Dino Babers said. "They just said he couldn't come back into the game."

Dungey, the leading passer in the ACC entering the game, completed 6 of 9 passes with one interception before his early exit. The sophomore was coming off a career-high 434 yards passing in a win against Boston College.

"I don't think the mindset of the team changed, but I do think that any time you lose your starting quarterback on an offense that's geared toward the pass, then that's going to get dramatically changed," Babers said. "And until we build the depth and all that stuff up with our program, that's going to happen."

Without Dungey, Syracuse (4-5, 2-3) managed to mount little consistent offensive threat against the Tigers, who intercepted three passes and held the Orange to 277 total yards - their lowest output of the season.

Syracuse suffered a shutout defeat for the first time since a 56-0 loss to Georgia Tech on Oct. 19, 2013. It was Clemson's shutout this season and fifth since 2012.

"Today they flexed their muscles," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. "Our guys were locked in. It was a very crisp day."

Even without Watson, the league's preseason Player of the Year and a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2015, Clemson's offense proved too much for the Orange.

Senior backup quarterback Nick Schuessler completed 11 of 17 passes for a career-high 177 yards and two touchdowns. The Tigers had two receivers with more than 100 yards receiving - Deon Cain, with five receptions for career-best 125 yards, and Mike Williams, with six catches for 106 yards.

Cain scored two touchdowns, including a 65-yarder from Watson on Clemson's second play of the second quarter that ranks as the Tigers' longest offensive play of the season.

Williams added a 14-yard touchdown catch, Artavis Scott a 5-yard scoring reception and Watson and Wayne Gallman added touchdown runs of 1 and 5 yards, respectively, for Clemson, which amassed 565 yards.

"It was nice - these last few games we've been holding onto our hats in the fourth quarter," Swinney said. "It was nice to have a game where we could have some fun and get a bunch of guys into the game."

Clemson's defense capped the scoring when freshman safety Tanner Muse had a 64-yard interception return with 7:40 left in the game.

"Obviously we played a fantastic football team in Clemson," Babers said. "My hat goes off to coach Dabo Swinney. Unbelievable team - offensively, defensively, kicking game. Definitely a team worthy of its ranking and I wish them the best of luck on their goal to win a national championship."

Watson, meanwhile, is expected to play next week when the Tigers host Pittsburgh with a chance to clinch the league's Atlantic Division title at home.

Swinney said Watson was available to play in the second half if needed, but with Clemson's offense clicking on all cylinders and enjoying a sizeable lead, he rested.

"We weren't going to put him back out there with a 30-0 lead," Swinney said. "We wanted to challenge these (younger) guys, and they responded. We kept rolling."

Syracuse, which was coming off victories against Virginia Tech and Boston College, hosts N.C. State on Saturday.

NOTES: Clemson TE Jordan Leggett has two of the five 100-yard receiving games by a tight end in program history. ... Senior S Jadar Johnson has four interceptions this season, equaling his total over his first three seasons. ... Syracuse QB Eric Dungey has six 300-yard passing games this season. ... Syracuse junior LB Parris Bennett, who had 16 tackles against Clemson, is averaging 13 tackles over the last five games.