Clemson squeaked past No. 20 Louisville 20-19 on Friday night in a game that both teams tried their hardest to lose. The Cardinals had multiple chances to win but couldn’t get out of their own way.
Adam Randall carried the ball for 105 yards and scored two touchdowns for the Tigers. His 1-yard touchdown run with 7:16 left in the game put Clemson ahead for good.
Louisville’s Kicking Nightmare
The Cardinals’ problems started with their kickers. Cooper Ranvier missed an extra point in the second quarter, then went wide left on a 50-yard field goal attempt late in the game.
Things got even worse when Nick Keller missed a 46-yard field goal with just 1:33 remaining. That kick could have won the game for Louisville.
A Gift That Wasn’t Opened
Clemson punter Jack Smith completely botched a snap at his own 23-yard line with 2:29 left. Louisville had the perfect chance to set up a game-winning field goal.
But the Cardinals shot themselves in the foot. A false start penalty and an unsportsmanlike conduct flag pushed them backwards, making Keller’s kick much harder.
Mistakes Everywhere
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney admitted his team made plenty of errors. The Tigers converted just one of 13 third-down attempts and gave up 385 total yards.
“We made enough mistakes to lose the game, and they made, obviously, mistakes, too,” Swinney said. “But we just made just a couple more critical plays than they did.”
The Turning Point
Louisville running back Duke Watson fumbled at the Cardinals’ 25-yard line in the second quarter. On the very next play, Randall scored on a draw to give Clemson a 10-9 lead with 3:13 left in the half.
That turnover was part of a bigger problem for Louisville. The Cardinals have now coughed up the ball 15 times this season, and opponents have scored 70 points because of those giveaways.
Penalty Problems
Louisville coach Jeff Brohm was frustrated with his team’s lack of discipline. The Cardinals racked up 10 penalties for 98 yards, including three unsportsmanlike conduct calls.
“We just did not play smart football at the end, overall, and we were not focused and locked in,” Brohm said.
What It Means
For Clemson (5-5, 4-4 ACC), this win keeps them alive for bowl eligibility. They need just one more victory in their final two games to extend their 20-year bowl streak.
The Tigers also got revenge for last year’s 33-21 home loss to Louisville. No team has beaten Clemson in back-to-back seasons since Florida State won three straight from 2012-14.
For Louisville (7-3, 4-3 ACC), this loss probably ends any hopes of making the ACC championship game or the College Football Playoff. All three of their losses this season have been decided by a combined seven points.
The Numbers
Cade Klubnik completed 22 of 34 passes for 187 yards for Clemson. Keyjuan Brown ran for 135 yards on 15 carries for Louisville.
Cardinals quarterback Miller Moss went 19 of 27 for 212 yards and scored on a 1-yard sneak in the second quarter. Receiver Caullin Lacy caught four passes for 60 yards and even threw a touchdown pass.
Louisville came into the game allowing just 21.7 points per game, which ranked 41st in the country. But self-inflicted wounds have been killing them all season long.