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

Clemson (3-5, 2-4 ACC) amassed 560 yards of total offense but conceded a 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 after T.J. scored on a 75-yard catch-and-run touchdown. Clemson forced a punt on Duke’s next possession but later punted again with 5:19 left, leaving Duke pinned at their own six-yard line.

Duke responded with a 94-yard drive over 11 plays in 4:39, converting two crucial fourth downs and a two-point conversion to take the lead. Clemson's final drive stalled, allowing Duke to secure the win.

Key Player Performances

Quarterback Cade Klubnik completed 27 of 36 passes for 385 yards and two touchdowns.
Antonio Williams led receivers with 142 yards on 10 catches and scored two touchdowns (one receiving, one rushing).
Adam Randall rushed for 89 yards and scored two touchdowns.

Defensive Highlights

Peter Woods and Jahiem Lawson each recorded a sack.
Linebacker Sammy Brown led the team with 10 tackles; Khalil Barnes had nine.

Game Opening

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

"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."

Despite strong offensive efforts, Clemson could not maintain their lead in a narrow loss to Duke.

Clemson University Athletics — 2025-11-02