Clemson rallies to top North Carolina for eighth straight time
Gideon Davidson’s 8-yard run with 5:01 left gave Clemson its first lead and the Tigers went on to defeat North Carolina in a 28-20 Atlantic Coast Conference victory Saturday afternoon in a weather-impacted game at Clemson, S.C.
Following the Tigers’ go-ahead touchdown, a two-point conversion run failed. North Carolina went for it on fourth-and-1 from its own 45, but didn’t convert with 1:54 to play. Then Clemson’s Tyler Brown, on his only carry of the game, ran 34 yards for a touchdown with 56 seconds left.
Freshman Tait Reynolds was 20 of 29 for 215 yards, one touchdown and one interception in his first start for Clemson (2-1, 1-0 ACC). Nolan Hauser kicked field goals of 49, 21 and 22 yards while Davidson finished with 105 yards on 16 carries.
North Carolina’s Benjamin Hall gained 130 yards on 18 carries. Billy Edwards Jr. was 13 of 30 for 135 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
The Tar Heels (2-1, 0-1), aiming for their first victory in 25 years at Clemson, were held to three second-half points. North Carolina’s Aaron Burrell kicked two field goals.
The game entered a lightning delay with about 8 1/2 minutes remaining. The pause lasted nearly 2 1/2 hours, with the Tar Heels holding possession inside the Clemson 10 shortly after converting on fourth-and-1. North Carolina ended up with Burrell’s 22-yard field goal for a 20-15 edge.
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North Carolina led 17-6 at halftime, though the Tar Heels failed to convert in good situations a couple of times. It marked North Carolina’s first halftime lead in an ACC game since 2024.
Clemson closed within 17-15 with a 92-yard drive that concluded with Reynolds’ 27-yard pass to Christian Bentancur with 4:21 to play in the third.
North Carolina’s Demon June ran 3 yards for the opening points barely four minutes into the game. After Clemson’s first field goal, North Carolina stretched the margin to 14-3 on Edwards’ 15-yard pass to Benjamin Hall.
Burrell’s 33-yard field goal stretched the lead to 17-3 with 8:36 left in the half.
Clemson drove 88 yards late in the half, but settled for a field goal on the last snap before halftime. The Tigers recovered a fumble at the North Carolina 12 early in the third quarter, but settled for another field goal.
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–Field Level Media
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This story was originally published September 19, 2026 at 6:11 PM.
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