CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson (3-5, 2-4 ACC) piled up 560 yards of total offense but allowed a touchdown and two-point conversion with 40 seconds to play in a 46-45 loss to Duke (5-3, 4-1 ACC) at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Clemson held a seven-point advantage after a 75-yard catch-and-run touchdown by T.J. Moore with 10:28 to play. The Tigers forced a punt on the next drive, but ultimately punted the ball back with 5:19 left, pinning Duke on its own six-yard line. The Blue Devils drove 94 yards on 11 plays over the next 4:39, including two critical fourth-down conversions and a two-point conversion, to take the lead. Clemson’s chance at a game-winning drive stalled, giving the Blue Devils the victory.
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik went 27-for-36, throwing for 385 yards and two touchdown passes. Antonio Williams led Clemson with 142 receiving yards on 10 catches and scored two touchdowns — one receiving and one rushing. Adam Randall rushed for 89 yards and recorded two touchdowns. Defensively, Peter Woods and Jahiem Lawson each recorded a sack. Linebacker Sammy Brown led the team with 10 tackles while Khalil Barnes followed closely behind with nine.
Duke jumped to a 7-0 lead on its first possession when quarterback Darien Mensah connected with Que’Sean Brown on a 19-yard touchdown pass with 10:08 on the clock. The Tigers responded as Antonio Williams rushed five yards into the end zone on the following possession, finishing a six-play, 75-yard drive in which Williams had a 64-yard catch-and-run to move the ball to the Duke 15-yard line. The extra point tied the game 7-7 with 6:25 to play in the quarter.
Duke capitalized on the ensuing drive as Mensah found Cooper Barkate for a 77-yard touchdown pass to reclaim the lead. After forcing Clemson to punt, the Blue Devils finished out the quarter with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Andrel for a 21-7 lead heading into the second stanza.
Clemson then responded with 21 consecutive points in the second quarter, starting when the Tigers finished a 10-play, 75-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown pass from Klubnik to Williams to make the score 21-14 with 10:26 remaining in the half. The Tiger defense forced a three-and-out on Duke’s next possession, capped by a sack from Peter Woods. On Clemson’s next drive, Adam Randall rushed two yards into the end zone to end a seven-play, 68-yard drive and tie the game 21-21 with 5:49 on the clock.
A sack by Jahiem Lawson and a pass breakup by Ashton Hampton helped Clemson hold the Blue Devil offense once again. With just over a minute remaining in the half, Clemson took its first lead of the game as Randall scored a two-yard rushing touchdown that finished a 10-play, 77-yard drive. The extra point made the score 28-21 with 1:01 to play in the half.
Duke evened the game 28-28 prior to halftime though with a 43-yard touchdown pass from Mensah to Brown with 0:11 remaining on the clock.
In the third quarter, Tyler Venables blocked a Duke punt to put the ball on the Clemson 50-yard line. On a drive that included a 19-yard catch-and-run from Williams, Woods rushed one-yard into the end zone, capping a seven-play drive and giving Clemson a 35-28 edge with 8:25 left in the quarter.
However, Duke’s Sahmir Hagans returned Clemson’s kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, tying the game 35-35 with 8:13 on the clock. Hauser then converted a 22-yard field goal to wrap up a 15-play, 71-yard drive and give Clemson a 38-35 lead heading into the final 15 minutes of play. With 10:40 on the clock, Duke converted a 37-yard field goal to make the score 38-38.
The Tigers regained the lead on the following play from scrimmage as Klubnik connected with T.J. Moore for a 75-yard touchdown. The extra point made the score 45-38 with 10:28 on the clock.
In the final minute of regulation, Nate Sheppard rushed three yards into the end zone to cap Duke’s 94-yard drive and pull Duke within one. Duke converted on the two-point conversion, putting them in the lead 46-45 with 0:40 to play. Clemson’s attempt at a lateral play on the final snap was ultimately thwarted to give Duke the win.
Clemson will return to Memorial Stadium next week when the Tigers face the Florida State Seminoles at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 8. Ticket information for that contest as well as Clemson’s Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day game against Furman on Saturday, Nov. 22 is available here.