Tigers Drop Back-And-Forth Game to Duke, 46-45

Clemson (3-5, 2-4 ACC) amassed 560 yards of total offense but allowed a late touchdown and two-point conversion with 40 seconds remaining, falling 46-45 to Duke (5-3, 4-1 ACC) at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

The Tigers held a seven-point lead following a 75-yard catch-and-run touchdown by T.J. Clemson forced a punt on Duke’s next drive but eventually punted the ball away with 5:19 left, pinning Duke on its six-yard line.

Duke responded with a 94-yard drive over 11 plays spanning 4:39, converting two critical fourth downs and a two-point conversion to take the lead.

Clemson’s attempt at a game-winning drive stalled, handing the Blue Devils the victory.

Key Performances

Cade Klubnik: Clemson’s quarterback went 27-for-36, passing for 385 yards with 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.
Defensive Highlights: Peter Woods and Jahiem Lawson each recorded a sack; linebacker Sammy Brown led with 10 tackles, followed by Khalil Barnes with nine.

Game Summary

Duke took an early lead with quarterback Darien Mensah connecting on a 19-yard touchdown pass to Que’Sean Brown, putting Duke up 7-0 with 10:08 remaining in the first quarter.

"Clemson 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."

The tightly contested match featured multiple lead changes before Duke secured the narrow victory.

Author’s summary: Despite dominating offensively, Clemson’s late defensive lapse cost them a close 46-45 loss to Duke in a high-stakes ACC battle.

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Clemson University Athletics — 2025-11-02