By Associated Press, & Graham Hill, WRALSportsFan

Clemson, S.C.

The Clemson Tigers emerged victorious over the North Carolina Tar Heels with a final score of 31-20.

In the fourth quarter, Omarion Hampton scored his second touchdown of the game with a 3-yard run. North Carolina tried to convert for two points but was not successful. This brought their score to 20 points, closing the gap to 31-20.

In the final quarter, Jonathan Weitz, the kicker for Clemson, successfully kicked a 21-yard field goal, increasing the Tigers’ lead to 31-14.

In the third quarter, Will Shipley, the running back, scored a 33-yard touchdown. This increased Clemson’s lead to 28-14 after the successful point after touchdown.

In the third quarter, Omarion Hampton scored a 55-yard touchdown. North Carolina narrowed the lead to 21-14 with a successful PAT.

In the third quarter, Phil Mafah, the running back, scored a 3-yard touchdown. With the successful PAT, Clemson increased their lead to 21-7.

At the halfway point of the game, the Clemson Tigers are ahead with a score of 14-7 against the North Carolina Tar Heels.

In the second quarter, Cade Klubnik scored a 3-yard touchdown. The Tigers then increased their lead to 14-7 with a successful PAT.

In the second quarter, Cade Klubnik made a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jake Briningstool, resulting in Clemson tying the game at 7-7 with a successful PAT.

In the initial quarter, Drake Maye completed a 33-yard touchdown pass to J.J. Jones, giving North Carolina a 7-0 lead with a successful PAT.

Pregame:

Retrieve your slide rulers. Despite needing assistance from external sources, No. 22 North Carolina still has a possibility of reaching the ACC championship game.

The outcome of the game between the Tar Heels (8-2, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) and Clemson (6-4, 3-4) on Saturday is crucial and outweighs any calculations, tiebreakers, or probabilities.

“According to North Carolina coach Mack Brown, few individuals have emerged victorious in that particular location. Additionally, it is unlikely that anyone will anticipate our success.”

Clemson has emerged victorious in the last five matchups and now faces a recovering Tar Heels team. North Carolina narrowly won 47-45 in double-overtime against Duke last week, breaking a two-game losing streak in conference games against Virginia and Georgia Tech.

They have arrived at Death Valley at the perfect time to witness Clemson’s strong performance late in the season. The Tigers have won two consecutive games and have scored a minimum of 31 points in each game.

“According to Brown, they have reverted back to their previous level of play at Clemson. He believes they are performing at a level that is comparable to a team in the playoffs.”

Clemson is definitely struggling after experiencing four defeats in a single season, a record not seen since coach Dabo Swinney’s second full year in 2010.

North Carolina’s Drake Maye has been outstanding again this year, guiding an offense that leads the ACC in scoring at nearly 40 points a game. Maye tops the league with 314 yards passing a game. Swinney is duly impressed with Maye’s ability. “He makes the coaches better, the fans better, and he makes the popcorn taste better,” the Tigers coach quipped.

OPEN DOORS

Swinney quickly adopted Brown’s approach of being willing to share his time and knowledge with other staffs. He recalled how Brown, who was a successful coach at Texas and had won a national championship, graciously welcomed the Clemson staff in 2009 and patiently answered their inquiries for hours.

Clemson has maintained an open-door policy for all, except for one notable exception: “I will not allow South Carolina coach Shane Beamer to linger. That is simply how it is.”

TOUGH FINISH

After defeating Duke, UNC will face Clemson and their rival North Carolina State in their final two away games of the season. Brown emphasized the importance of mental toughness for his players to achieve victory.

“Our team needs to rise to the occasion and demonstrate strength and confidence in order to push through this challenging period at the end of the year,” stated Brown.

SHIPLEY HIT

During the game against North Carolina State, Clemson’s running back Will Shipley was rendered unconscious and had to sit out the following game due to concussion protocol. However, Shipley made a comeback last week during their victory against Georgia Tech and is now prepared to play against the Tar Heels.

“I don’t recall much about the NC State play,” he stated. “It’s certainly a bit frightening, but it’s part of the job I agreed to.”

FOURTH-QUARTER STRUGGLES

In their previous two ACC games, UNC has experienced significant difficulties in the fourth quarter on the defensive end, allowing 22 points to both Georgia Tech and Duke.

Brown expressed worry about exhaustion, specifically regarding Cedric Gray and Power Echols who never take a break from playing as linebackers. He emphasized the importance of finding a solution to give them some time to rest.

“It’s a challenge when two key components of your defense are missing,” stated defensive coordinator Gene Chizik. He went on to say, “We will have to strategize and find a solution.”

BAD RUN

In the past, the Tar Heels have faced difficulties against Clemson. They have not emerged victorious since a 21-16 win at home in 2010. Since then, North Carolina has lost all five matches against Clemson, including two in the ACC championship (2015, 2022). It has been 22 years since North Carolina last won at Clemson.

Source: wralsportsfan.com