Clemson Outlasts Syracuse in the Dome

On the first play from scrimmage from either squad, Tigers' senior running back Jarvis Green carried the ball into the open field for a 53-yard gain, moving Clemson from their own 25 to the Syracuse 22-yard line.

Despite this massive gain to begin play, the Orange offense would prevent a touchdown with the Tigers' junior kicker Nolan Hauser connecting from 32 yards away to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead at the 12:30 mark.

Syracuse would respond by gaining three first downs on their opening drive, the first being on their second play when fifth-year quarterback Steve Angeli found fifth-year wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons for an 18-yard gain, the second being on 4th-&-1 on a three-yard run by senior running back Ahmad Miller, and the third on 3rd-&-17 when Angeli found redshirt-freshman wide receiver Calvin Russell, III, for a short pass that Russell took for a 19-yard gain, utilizing his blockers down the field.

This first drive by the Orange would conclude with a 26-yard field goal by junior kicker Tripp Woody to knot the game at 3-3 at the 6:15 mark.

Unfortunately, after this scoring drive, Orange sophomore starting right guard Jayden Mann would be down on the field. After a few minutes, he was guided by someone on each side of him as he gingerly came off of the field.

Clemson would start their second drive with the same amount of yards on their first play as they had on the first play of their first drive, 53 yards, with this time the yardage coming from a catch-and-run by junior wide receiver Bryant Wesco, Jr., from a pass by freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds.

And this drive would end the way the first Clemson drive ended as well, with a field goal by Hauser, this from 36 yards away, to give the Tigers a 6-3 lead at the 4:54 mark.

Sixth-year offensive lineman Oluwafunto Akinshilo would come in at right guard for the injured Mann on Syracuse's second drive. This drive would go a quick three-and-out as Angeli was hurried in a pocket that shrunk pretty rapidly.

However, Wesco would muff the punt return attempt and the ball was recovered by the Orange, courtesy of senior long-snapper Fran Brown, Jr., giving Syracuse their third drive of the day.

Sadly for the Orange, this drive would also conclude in a punt, for their second in a row.

But the Syracuse defense would hold strong, forcing Clemson to punt for their first time in the game, on a drive that went three-and-out.

The Orange would take their fourth drive of the day from the 1:03 mark of the first quarter to 13:25 remaining in the second quarter, a span of 2:38, and get all the way to inside the Tigers' redzone, on their 14.

Woody would come out for a 32-yarder on 4th-&-10, but would miss, ending the drive and giving Clemson the ball back on their own 14-yard line.

The Tigers' fourth drive of the game would be aided by a pass-interference penalty on a sophomore cornerback Demetres Samuel, Jr., in single-coverage against Wesco, giving Clemson 15 yards and a new set of downs, moving the Tigers from their own 45 to the Orange 40.

Syracuse's defense gained some of those yards back on the very next play when fifth-year defensive end Tunmise Adeleye and sophomore linebacker Antoine Deslauriers combined to sack Reynolds for a loss of eight yards.

Three plays later, Hauser would attempt a 57-yard field goal, and miss, giving the Orange possession at their own 39-yard line.

On Syracuse's ensuing fifth drive of the day, freshman running back Shavane Anderson, Jr., came in for the first time in over a month, with his last time on the field coming on the road visiting the Pittsburgh Panthers where he carried the ball 11 times for 26 yards in a 27-13 loss on Thursday, September 17, 2026. Anderson gained two yards on his first carry and three on his second in this drive.

Woody would come back onto the field, this time from 46 yards away, and unlike the previous drive, he would send this one home, tying the game at 6-6 at the 6:07 mark of the second quarter.

Clemson's fifth drive would feature Reynolds to Wesco for a 29-yard gain on their second play and on their fourth play, Reynolds would send a backward pass to Wesco who would stop and send the ball down the field to junior wide receiver T.J. Moore for a 36-yard gain that moved the Tigers from the Orange 44 to inside their redzone, on the Orange eight-yard line.

Then, Syracuse's defense would send Clemson backward on their next three plays: a one-yard loss on a quarterback keeper by Reynolds where he was tackled by senior defensive tackle Rashard Perry, a nine-yard loss on a sack by senior defensive end Keyshawn Johnson on Reynolds, and a three-yard loss on a tackle by Perry and freshman linebacker Gemaus Sackie who got to senior tight end Olsen Patt-Henry after his reception.

This drive, however, would end with points for the Tigers as Hauser connected from 37 yards away to give Clemson a 9-6 lead with 2:06 to play before halftime.

Syracuse's sixth drive ended quick, on a three-and-out and a punt back to Clemson.

On third down, Reynolds would send the ball downfield with no Tigers' player in sight, but junior defensive back Davien Kerr was, and he achieved his fourth interception of the season for the Orange, giving the Orange the ball on their own 39 with 52 seconds remaining in the first half.

The seventh and final drive of the first half for Syracuse would end with no points as time ran out after Angeli completed the ball to Russell for a 30-yard completion and first down on 1st-&-25. Confusion occurred after that play with two seconds on the game clock and Syracuse choosing not to spike the ball and, instead, having Angeli throw a short pass to sixth-year wide receiver Umari Hatcher in the middle of traffic for a seven-yard gain before time expired on the first half of play.

Syracuse would come out of the break with Miller running the ball four-straight times, gaining a first down on the third of these runs on 3rd-&-1.

Angeli would follow with two incompletions and the Orange would punt the ball away on their first drive of the second half.

Clemson would go for it on 4th-&-1 on their first drive of the second half, from the Syracuse 43-yard line, gaining a new set of downs on a keeper by Reynolds that went two yards to the Syracuse 41.

Hauser would attempt a 54-yard field goal on this drive, and boot it through to make it 12-6 Tigers at the 7:25 mark of the third quarter.

Syracuse's second drive of the second half would end on a defensive touchdown by Clemson, with Angeli's shoulder getting hit while he threw as he was turned sideways, facing the right sideline. Tigers' junior defensive tackle Kourtney Kelly would get credit for the sack and 10-yard loss for the Orange and fifth-year defensive end Jahiem Lawson picked up the loose ball and returned it 22 yards to the house. After a two-point conversion attempt that did not come into fruition, the score was 18-6 Tigers at the 6:39 mark.

The Orange would punt away their third drive of the third quarter on a three-and-out.

After eight plays, Clemson would punt the ball back to Syracuse who would start their fourth drive with back-to-back first downs, the first coming from a pass by Angeli to Russell for a 17-yard gain and the second came on the ground by sophomore running back Tylik Hill who went 16 yards on a carry that he pushed forward multiple times.

Despite some movement by the offense, the Orange would still end their drive in a punt at the conclusion of the third quarter, giving them three punts and a fumble returned for a touchdown against them in the third quarter.

The first drive of the final quarter would come from Clemson, and end in a punt.

Syracuse would get all the way to the Clemson three-yard line, but on 3rd-&-3, Angeli would get hurried and force a pass to the left side of the end zone, a pass that Clemson would make him pay for as junior cornerback Ashton Hampton intercepted the ball in the end zone, giving the Tigers possession at their own 20-yard line.

With 4:42 remaining in the game, Angeli threw five-straight passes to sophomore tight end Daunte Bacheyie, the fifth a catch and then muscling forward by Bacheyie who got the ball over the goal-line for a 33-yard touchdown to make it 18-13 Tigers at the 3:12 mark; this was his fifth receiving touchdown on the season for the Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) Syracuse alum.

Reynolds would keep the ball and gain 10 yards on one run and 13 on another to grab two first downs on the Tigers' final drive to secure victory formation en route to an 18-13 win for Clemson, who improved to 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the ACC, while Syracuse moves to 4-5 overall and 2-5 in ACC play.