Following Clemson’s 35-24 loss to SMU on Saturday at Memorial Stadium, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney updated the status of starting left tackle Tristan Leigh.

Leigh did not play in Saturday’s game. It marked the third game he has missed this year.

The 6-foot-6, 310-pound redshirt senior missed both the Troy and Georgia Tech games after being injured late in the LSU game. He started the previous three games prior to the SMU game, but was injured on the 12th play at Boston College and did not return.

Swinney said Leigh is dealing with an ankle injury, but he is hopeful Leigh will be ready to play when the Tigers return to action vs. Duke on Saturday, Nov. 1. Clemson has an open date next weekend.

“Just wasn’t able to go [vs. SMU],” Swinney said. “He’s been battling an ankle as well. … I hope so [that he’ll be back for the Duke game].”  

A former five-star recruit, Leigh assumed a starting role in 2023 and entered the 2025 season having previously played 1,587 offensive snaps over 32 career games (23 starts).