After a half of play in Durham, North Carolina, No. 9 Clemson leads Duke 7-6 in a defensive battle marred by two turnovers by the Blue Devils. Although Duke took a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter, Clemson capitalized on a muffed punt return that moved the Tigers’ offense into the red zone. Five plays later, quarterback Cade Klubnik hit running back Will Shipley out of the backfield, giving Clemson its first lead of the game.
Disaster struck again for Duke in the final seconds of the half when running back Jaquez Moore fumbled at the Clemson 32-yard line, which was recovered by Tigers linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Aside from ball security, Duke was impressive as an underdog with two touchdowns. Quarterback Riley Leonard has surpassed Klubnik with 146 passing yards and 28 rushing yards so far.
Clemson’s use of Klubnik was interesting. The sophomore completed 14 of his 21 passes, but only for 103 yards. He only connected on one pass deep — an 18-yarder to Antonio Williams as the clock hit triple zeros and the Blue Devils defense defended a Hail Mary. It appears that coach Dabo Swinney and offensive coordinator Garrett Riley are reluctant to let Klubnik get sidelined. That could be a testament to Duke’s defense, the lack of explosive playmakers for Clemson’s offense, or a combination of both.
In a close, low-scoring game like this, every play in the second half will have greater significance. CBS Sports will be with you the entire time, breaking down everything that happens as Clemson battles Duke. Keep it locked here for live scores, analysis and highlights during the game.