The Clemson Tigers got off to a tough start on Saturday vs. the North Carolina Tar Heels. Dabo Swinney’s team trailed 14-3 after the first quarter, but had a chance to enter halftime down only seven points. Unfortunately, they didn’t realize it.
Shortly after a lackadaisical approach forced Clemson to burn its third timeout, a first down completion led quarterback Tait Reynolds to spike the ball on second down. His focus on stopping the clock kept him from seeing that tight end Olsen Patt-Henry was uncovered on the play.
As a result, the Tigers passed up what would have been an easy touchdown.
Clemson settled for a field goal to make the score 17-6 at halftime. Then, early in the third quarter, Reynolds underthrew a pass to wide receiver Bryant Wesco that turned a would-be touchdown into an interception.
On the very next snap, the Tigers’ defense forced a fumble, setting Reynolds and Co. up at North Carolina’s 12-yard line. But Clemson couldn’t capitalize, going three-and-out before settling for a 22-yard field goal, much to the dismay of its home crowd.
The Tigers finally found the end zone late in the third quarter, courtesy of Reynolds’ 27-yard touchdown pass to Christian Bentancur, to cut their margin to just two points.
The Tigers’ ensuing two-point conversion attempt was no good, but they have all the momentum right now. You can watch the Tar Heels and Tigers on ESPN.
Subscribe to the Saturday Football Newsletter — Get the latest news and updates on your team, your conference, and the college football nation straight to your inbox.
Having trouble seeing the signup form? Some privacy or ad-blocking tools can prevent it from loading. You can subscribe directly here.
