Clemson football fans were left stunned and disappointed after their team lost 28-7 to Duke in the season opener on Monday night. The No. 9 Tigers, who had won five consecutive games against the Blue Devils, looked out of sync and ineffective on offense, while the defense struggled to contain Duke’s dual-threat quarterback Riley Leonard.
Klubnik and Riley debut new offense, but fail to impress
Clemson Tigers debuted a new offense under coordinator Garrett Riley and quarterback Cade Klubnik, who replaced the departed Tony Elliott and DJ Uiagalelei. However, the new scheme did not produce the desired results, as the Tigers managed only 248 yards of total offense and one touchdown.
Klubnik, a freshman who beat out senior Hunter Helms for the starting job, had a rough night in his first college game. He completed 15 of 32 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown, but also threw two interceptions and fumbled twice. He was sacked four times and pressured throughout the game by Duke’s defense.
Klubnik’s receivers did not help him much either, as they had trouble getting open and dropped several passes. The running game was the only bright spot for Clemson, as sophomore Will Shipley ran for 132 yards and caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Klubnik in the second quarter.
Leonard leads Duke to upset victory with his legs and arm
Duke’s offense, on the other hand, was led by a stellar performance from Leonard, a sophomore who transferred from Fordham. Leonard ran for 98 yards and two touchdowns, including a 44-yard scamper that gave Duke the lead in the third quarter. He also threw for 175 yards and one touchdown, finding Jalon Calhoun for a 27-yard score in the fourth quarter.
Leonard showed his versatility and elusiveness, escaping from Clemson’s defenders and making plays with his legs and arm. He converted several third downs and kept the chains moving for Duke, which controlled the time of possession and kept Clemson’s offense off the field.
Duke’s defense also deserves credit for shutting down Clemson’s offense, especially in the red zone. The Blue Devils forced four turnovers, including two fumble recoveries inside their own five-yard line. They also held Clemson to four of 14 on third down conversions and zero of two on fourth down attempts.
Clemson’s streaks come to an end with stunning loss
The loss to Duke was not only shocking, but also historic for Clemson. It was the first time since 2004 that the Tigers lost to the Blue Devils, ending a five-game win streak in the series. It was also the first time since 2014 that Clemson lost its season opener, snapping a nine-game win streak in such games.
The loss also put Clemson’s hopes of winning another ACC title and reaching the College Football Playoff in jeopardy. The Tigers will have to regroup and bounce back quickly, as they face another tough road test next week against No. 12 Georgia Tech.
Duke, meanwhile, celebrated its biggest win in years, as it improved to 1-0 on the season and 1-0 in the ACC Coastal Division. The Blue Devils will look to build on their momentum when they host No. 15 North Carolina next week.
