The unranked Duke Blue Devils pulled off a stunning upset in Week 1 of college football, defeating the No. 9 Clemson Tigers by a score of 28-7 in Durham, North Carolina on Monday night. The game was filled with dramatic moments and mistakes by both teams, but it was Duke who capitalized on Clemson’s errors to secure the victory.
One of the pivotal moments came when Duke’s Jaylen Stinson intercepted a botched handoff between Clemson’s Cade Klubnik and Phil Mafah, and returned it deep into Clemson territory. Although Stinson was eventually tackled by Klubnik at the 33-yard line, Duke took advantage of the turnover and scored a touchdown on the ensuing possession. Jaquez Moore ran the ball into the end zone from nine yards out, and Duke successfully converted a two-point conversion to make it a 21-7 game.
Throughout the game, Clemson made several mistakes that cost them points and momentum. In the first quarter, Wesley Williams blocked Robert Gunn III’s 41-yard field goal attempt, preserving Duke’s early lead. In the second half, Gunn had a disastrous shank on a 23-yard field goal that would have brought the score to 13-10 in favor of Duke. Additionally, Klubnik fumbled on Duke’s 7-yard line, but Jeremiah Lewis recovered the ball to prevent a Clemson touchdown.
Duke also had their own share of issues, as a fumble by Jalon Calhoun on a punt return led to Clemson’s only touchdown in the second quarter. Moore also fumbled near the end of the first half, halting a promising drive for the Blue Devils.
Despite these mistakes, Duke’s quarterback Riley Leonard and their offense managed to take advantage of Clemson’s errors. Leonard kicked off the third quarter with an impressive 44-yard touchdown run, quickly regaining the lead for Duke at 13-7. Although Leonard struggled with his passing game, completing 17 of 33 attempts for 175 yards, he excelled as a rusher, leading the team with 98 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries.
One of the most intriguing moments came in the fourth quarter on a crucial fourth-and-7 play for Clemson. Klubnik attempted to scramble for a first down but underestimated the distance needed and slid, thinking he had reached the marker. However, he was ruled short of the first down, and the play was further complicated by a targeting penalty on Duke’s Cam Dillon. Despite the penalty, Duke was awarded possession due to the dead ball foul.
Duke sealed their victory with a tipped pass intercepted by Dorian Mausi, which set up a 36-yard touchdown run by Jordan Waters. The crowd at Brooks Field erupted in celebration, while Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney looked on in disbelief as his team started the season with a disappointing 0-1 record. This win marked the largest margin of victory for Duke against Clemson since 1936.
Waters finished the game with 63 rushing yards and a touchdown, along with three receptions for 46 yards. Klubnik’s debut as Clemson’s starting quarterback resulted in 209 passing yards, one touchdown pass, and one interception. Clemson’s Will Shipley had an impressive performance, rushing for 114 yards and catching six passes for 29 yards, including a touchdown reception from Klubnik.
Duke’s victory joins the list of surprising upsets in Week 1, along with Colorado’s win over TCU and Texas State’s win over Baylor. In the end, Duke’s ability to capitalize on Clemson’s mistakes and the impressive performances of players like Leonard and Waters led them to a memorable and unexpected triumph.
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