Tigers Drop Close Game to Duke, 46-45
Clemson (3-5, 2-4 ACC) amassed 560 yards of total offense but fell short in a 46-45 loss to Duke (5-3, 4-1 ACC) Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Despite leading by seven points after a 75-yard catch-and-run touchdown by T.J., Clemson was unable to hold off Duke's late surge.
Game Summary
The Tigers forced Duke to punt on the following drive, yet Clemson eventually had to punt with 5:19 remaining, leaving Duke pinned at its own six-yard line. Duke then orchestrated a 94-yard drive over 11 plays in 4:39, converting two crucial fourth downs and a two-point conversion to seize the lead.
Clemson's final attempt to respond stalled, securing the Blue Devils the win.
Key Player Performances
- Quarterback Cade Klubnik completed 27 of 36 passes for 385 yards and two touchdowns.
- Antonio Williams led Clemson receivers with 142 yards on 10 catches, scoring one receiving and one rushing touchdown.
- Adam Randall contributed 89 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
- Defensively, Peter Woods and Jahiem Lawson each recorded a sack.
- Linebacker Sammy Brown led the team with 10 tackles, while Khalil Barnes added nine.
Duke's Early Advantage
Duke opened the scoring quickly with a 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Darien Mensah to Que’Sean Brown at 10:08 in the first quarter, taking a 7-0 lead.
"Duke drove 94 yards on 11 plays over 4:39, including two critical fourth-down conversions and a two-point conversion, to take the lead."
Author's summary: Clemson delivered a strong offensive performance but fell short in a tightly contested match where Duke's late-game resilience secured a narrow 46-45 victory.