Despite Loss, Clemson O-Line has its Best Game

CLEMSON — Though there were plenty of things to complain about in Clemson’s 46-45 loss to Duke on Saturday. There were still some good things that happened at Memorial Stadium.

For instance, quarterback Cade Klubnik threw for a career-high 385 yards and two touchdowns, while completing 27 of 36 passes. Antonio Williams caught 10 passes for a season-high 142 yards and a receiving touchdown and rushed three times for 22 yards and a rushing touchdown.

Wide receiver T.J. Moore caught 2 passes for 92 yards, including a 75-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. It marked the second time this season Moore caught a 75-yard TD.

Running back Adam Randall rushed for 89 yards and scored two touchdowns for the second time this season.

Overall, the offense tallied 560 yards to go with 45 points. Both were season highs.

The running game ran for 175 yards and averaged 5.0 yards per carry, in what was the best performance by the offensive line all season.

Clemson (3-5, 2-4 ACC) allowed just one sack, which came on the third play of the game, and just four tackles for loss. The Blue Devils came into Saturday’s game averaging 8.2 tackles for loss per game.

Not bad for a unit that has been maligned all season long.

“On the surface, I thought they played really well,” Swinney said.

It did not come without a cost. The Tigers lost starting right guard Harris Sewell in the second quarter to an undisclosed injury.

Clemson is already without guards Collin Sadler and Elyjah Thurmon, who did not play on Saturday. Regardless, the Tigers’ offensive front easily had its best game of the year.

“They played really well. They won the line of scrimmage,” Swinney said. “I thought we had them on their heels all day. We got a ton of yards. We were balanced. Your yards per completion, explosive, yards per rush. Cade hit his first 11 passes in the third quarter.

“There were a lot of great things, but we got to put it together.”