Rapid Reaction: Clemson dominated by Duke, 28-7.
After dreaming all offseason about an offensive renaissance at Clemson, Tiger fans witnessed a nightmare in week 1 at Duke. No. 9 Clemson, a 12-point favorite entering the game, turned the football over three times in a 28 to 7 loss at Duke.
It was ugly from the jump for Clemson. The Tigers punted four times in the first half and scored their only points in the half after Duke muffed one of them. Down 14-7, when they had to have it, Clemson proceeded to fumble the ball twice inside the 5, turned the ball over on downs when quarterback Cade Klubnik slid too early on 4th down, and threw an interception when Will Shipley had a pass tip off of his hands.
Will Shipley scored Clemson's lone touchdown. (CL
What’s even more disturbing is Clemson didn’t look, physically, like a top-15 team. The Tigers’ wide receivers were blanketed all night by Duke’s secondary, the lines were pushed around, and Clemson’s best defenders missed multiple tackles.
New offensive coordinator Garrett Riley could not have had a worse debut. The Tigers had no rhythm on offense, and - much like the previous two seasons - the only offense came from Will Shipley. While Dabo Swinney refuses to use the Transfer Portal, Florida State dominated LSU with over 15 transfers making a huge impact. That drastic difference leaves a sour taste in the mouths of Clemson fans. Cade Klubnik was pressured all night, completing 27 out of 43 passes for just 209 yards.
Last year, the offense lacked explosion, the defense made silly mistakes, and the physical advantage Clemson had for so many years seemed to dissipate. New year, same story. Clemson was out-coached, outplayed, and physically handled by Duke. Florida State, Notre Dame, and North Carolina await.
