LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville kicker Cooper Ranvier came into Friday night’s game as one of the top kickers in the country.
The sophomore was 15-of-17 on field goals and was perfect on extra points. However, he missed one field goal in the last four minutes and one extra point, while backup kicker Nick Keller missed from 46 yards late in the fourth quarter, as Clemson hung on for a 20-19 victory over the 20th-ranked Cardinals at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium.
Keller missed left from 46 yards with 1:30 to play, while Ranvier missed from 50 yards with 4:06 to go.
Ranvier’s missed extra point in the second quarter bounced off the left upright, which kept the score 9-3 at the time.
Things looked good for Clemson when Ranvier missed his 50-yard field goal with 4:06 to play and the Tigers up one point.
Clemson (5-5, 4-4 ACC) had everything it wanted. They had the lead, possession of the football and good field position with a chance to run out the clock.
However, tight end Olsen Patt-Henry dropped a sure first down on an third-and-five and then a bad snap gave Louisville the ball at the Clemson 23 with a chance to win the game with a little more than two minutes to play.
But a personal foul penalty on third down pushed the ball back 15 yards and made Keller’s field goal attempt longer than it should have been. He pushed it to the left.
Adam Randall’s one-yard TD run with 7:16 to play proved to be the game winner. Randall ran for 105 yards and scored 2 TDs in the Tigers’ victory.
Too cute
Clemson got too cute with back-to-back plays at the one-yard line in the fourth quarter.
Trailing Louisville by six points, 19-13, Clemson handed the ball off to Peter Woods on its heavy package on third down. Woods fumbled the ball trying to stretch it over the goal line and the Tigers recovered the loose ball at the one.
On fourth down, Klubnik tried to give Woods the ball again. However, the defensive tackle was not expecting the ball and the ball was fumbled and recovered by Louisville at the two to end the Clemson scoring threat with 11:25 to play.
Almost failed again
Clemson took a 20-19 lead with 7:16 to play when Randall scored on a 1-yard TD. However, it took the Tigers four plays to get into the end zone again after getting a first-and-goal at the Louisville 10-yard line following a 46-yard run by Randall.
Running all over the Tigers
Clemson came into the game ranked fifth in the ACC in rushing defense, allowing 106 yards per game on the ground. The Cardinals gashed Clemson for 100 yards on nine carries in third quarter.
Keyquan Brown led the charge with 87 rushing yards on six carries in the third. Brown finished the night with 135 yards. The Cardinals rushed for 171 overall.
Make them pay
Avieon Terrell stripped Louisville running back Duke Watson of the football at the Cardinals’ 25-yard line late in the second quarter. Clemson made him pay on the next play, as Randall raced 25-yards up the middle for a touchdown to give the Tigers a 10-9 lead with 3:13 to play in the half.
New record
With his seventh career forced fumble, Terrell took sole possession of the Clemson record for career forced fumbles by a defensive back. He tied Levon Kirkland, Keith Adams and Vic Beasley for the seventh-most forced fumbles in a career in Clemson history.
Comedy of errors
Clemson shot themselves in the foot several times in the first half.
After taking the opening possession and moving the ball to the Louisville 7-yard line, Randall was stopped for a 3-yard loss on a direct snap. On the next play, he dropped a swing pass and Nolan Hauser kicked a 27-yard field goal.
On the Tigers’ second possession, wide receiver Antonio Williams slipped on what would have been a first down. Tristan Smith later dropped a third down pass that would have been a first down. The Tigers had four first half drops, two by Smith. They finished the game with five overall.
Williams also made a great catch for a big gain to start the second quarter, but the play was negated due to a holding penalty.
Catching a break
Clemson caught a break in the second quarter when Klubnik’s pitch to Randall was ruled an incomplete pass after a brief conversation from the officials.
The play was initially called a fumble and recovered by Louisville at the Clemson 2-yard line. The Cardinals did force a punt on three plays and got the ball at the Clemson 38 after Jack Smith shanked his punt.
Miller Moss found Chris Bell for a 37-yard gain to the Clemson 1 on the next play. On second-and-goal, Moss snuck in for the game’s first touchdown with 8:47 to play in the second quarter.
Injuries
A lot of players were banged up in the first half. Randall suffered what looked like a stinger on the third play of the game. He did return.
Tigers wideout T.J. Moore also suffered a shoulder stinger and returned as well. Moore was also banged up in the third quarter, but he quickly returned.
Nickel back Tink Kelley also went into the injury tent and came back out with his helmet.
Clemson defensive tackle Vic Burley suffered a knee injury in the second quarter. He was holding the back of his left knee and did not return.
Left guard Brayden Jacobs was injured in the postgame celebration. He was seen in a boot after the game. No word on his status for next week.
Right guard Walker Parks was also injured. He was in a walking boot and using crutches at the end of the game. He was injured in the fourth quarter and did not return.
Louisville safety D’Angelo Hutchinson also suffered a shoulder injury and returned to the game. Cardinals wide receiver Caullin Lacey went down with an injury just before halftime after taking a vicious hit from Clemson linebacker Jeremiah Alexander, but he did return to the game.
Up Next
Clemson returns to Memorial Stadium for its home finale. The Tigers host Furman on Military Appreciation and Senior Day. Kick off is set for 4:30 p.m.