Two-point play gives Duke first win at Clemson since 1980 - ESPN

CLEMSON, S.C. — Duke coach Manny Diaz did not want to chance overtime at Clemson's Death Valley. His team made sure he wouldn't have to.

Nate Sheppard had a 3-yard touchdown run with 40 seconds left and Duke followed with a two-point conversion from Darian Mensah to Sahmir Hagans to win at Clemson for the first time since 1980 with a 46-45 victory Saturday.

«Going extra innings at Death Valley isn't really a good plan,» Diaz said.

Winning in regulation somewhere you hadn't in 45 years? «This is a major step for our program,» Diaz said.

The Blue Devils (5-3, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) trailed 45-38 and started the game-winning drive on their 6-yard line. Mensah led an 11-play drive in which he converted two fourth downs to set up Sheppard's TD run.

There was no hesitation from Duke's Diaz who kept the offense on the field and Mensah quicky found Hagans for the decisive points.

It was a quirky game of dramatic momentum swings. Duke looked unstoppable in gaining 199 yards in the first quarter to lead 21-7. But Clemson woke up with three straight TDs to lead 28-21. The Tigers looked in control again with six minutes left until Duke's final drive.

«We just stayed poised and showed our confidence,» Mensah said.

It was another low moment in a terrible season for Clemson (3-5, 1-4), the defending ACC champions and a trendy pick to win Dabo Swinney's third national title. The Tigers have lost four home games for the first time since 1998.

They're on pace for Swinney's worst season since 2010 when the Tigers were 6-7 and the coach thought his time at the school was done. Instead, he won eight ACC titles and national championships after the 2016 and 2018 seasons.

«I feel like I'm in 2010 all over again,» Swinney said.

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