Clemson waited out a long lightning delay, then finished the job with a late burst.
Trailing North Carolina 20-15 when play finally resumed in the fourth quarter Saturday at Memorial Stadium, the Tigers ripped off touchdowns on back-to-back possessions and closed out a 28-20 comeback win. Clemson improved to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the ACC, while North Carolina fell to 2-1.
Sophomore Gideon Davidson led the ground game with 105 yards and a touchdown, and freshman Tait Reynolds made his first career start count by throwing for 215 yards. Clemson also got a key defensive effort from safety Corey Myrick, who finished with 11 tackles, while defensive end Will Heldt had two of the Tigers’ three sacks and reached 2.0 sacks in back-to-back games for the first time in his career.
The game carried on a strange theme for Clemson: weather delays. It was the third straight Tigers game to be interrupted, and this one was the longest yet. After the first two games of the season were delayed roughly two hours before kickoff, Saturday’s matchup was paused for a stadium-record two hours and 28 minutes because of lightning in the fourth quarter, with Clemson still trailing 17-15.
North Carolina came out fast and built a 17-3 lead. The Tar Heels scored on a six-play, 47-yard opening drive, then added a 15-yard touchdown pass to Benjamin Hall in the first quarter and a 33-yard field goal from Aeron Burrell in the second.
Clemson’s response before halftime was a grinding one: an 18-play, 88-yard march that ended with a 21-yard Nolan Hauser field goal as time expired. On that drive, Davidson gained 20 yards on three carries, and Bryant Wesco Jr. picked up 26 yards on two catches.
The Tigers kept chipping away after the break. Following a pair of early third-quarter turnovers, Clemson recovered a fumble and took over at the North Carolina 12-yard line, setting up Hauser’s third field goal to cut the deficit to 17-9 with 10:42 left in the third.
Then Reynolds delivered Clemson’s first touchdown of the day, connecting with Christian Bentancur on a 27-yard score during a seven-play, 92-yard drive. North Carolina stopped the Tigers on the two-point try, leaving the margin at two.
After the delay, North Carolina briefly added to its lead with a field goal, but Clemson answered in a hurry. Down 20-15 with 6:34 to play, the Tigers covered 68 yards in four snaps and Davidson finished the drive with an eight-yard touchdown run, putting Clemson ahead for the first time at 21-20 despite another failed two-point conversion.
The finish belonged to the Tigers. Clemson forced a turnover on downs, then Tyler Brown broke loose for a 34-yard touchdown run with 1:00 left to make it 28-20.
North Carolina’s final chance ended when Elliot Washington ll intercepted a pass with 37 seconds remaining, sealing the comeback. Clemson had one more interception credited in the closing seconds as the defense shut the door for good.
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Clemson's Needed Win Over UNC Still Left Fans With One Big Debate
Clemson got the result it needed against North Carolina, and Tyler Brown helped seal it with a late touchdown run in the Tigers 28-20 win. The defense still had to finish the job, coming up with a late interception to close out the game, but the way Brown handled the final moments quickly became part of the postgame conversation.
Dabo Swinney said he had told his players to stay inbounds and get down after first downs, though he had not given Brown that specific instruction. That left fans debating the choice to score instead of sliding and ending things there, even in a win that gave Clemson a much-needed boost. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Weather Delay Freezes A Brutal Moment For Tar Heels Fans
A tense finish in Memorial Stadium came to an abrupt stop late Saturday when Clemsons game with North Carolina was delayed by lightning in the area. With the Tar Heels pressing deep in Tiger territory, the weather alert forced both teams off the field and sent fans searching for cover as the stadium emptied under the warning.
North Carolina had a slim lead and was threatening again when the pause hit, leaving a tight fourth quarter hanging in the balance. Extra shelters were opened at Littlejohn Coliseum and the Fike Recreation Center, but for both sideline and stands, the bigger question now is how long the hold will last and what kind of finish awaits when play resumes. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson May Have Found The QB This Season Desperately Needed
Clemsons 21-20 comeback against North Carolina did more than salvage a tense afternoon. It gave the Tigers a much-needed glimpse of what their offense could look like with freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds steering it, and paired with the emergence of running back Gideon Davidson, it offered a hint that this roster may have a few building blocks worth leaning on as the season unfolds.
The challenge now is making sure that glimpse turns into something more durable, because Clemsons long-term questions are still right there in front of it. Reynolds got the opportunity after Chris Vizzinas left arm injury opened the door, and the Tigers will spend the coming weeks finding out whether what they saw in Chapel Hill was a one-game lift or the start of a real shift in direction for a team that badly needed one. [Read more 🡒]