Jahiem Lawson returned a third-quarter fumble 22 yards for a touchdown, Nolan Hauser drilled four field goals, and Clemson held on to defeat Syracuse 18-13 on Saturday at the JMA Wireless Dome.
In a bruising Atlantic Coast Conference battle dominated by defense and special teams, Clemson (6-3, 4-2) did not score an offensive touchdown but forced two critical turnovers and controlled the clock late behind quarterback Tait Reynolds to fend off the Orange (4-5, 2-5) before a crowd of 37,291.
Hauser provided nearly all of Clemson’s offensive scoring, converting kicks from 32, 36, 37, and a booming 54-yarder early in the third quarter to give the Tigers a 12-6 advantage.
Just two plays after Hauser’s 54-yard kick, Clemson delivered the decisive blow on defense. Edge rusher Kourtney Kelly blasted through the Syracuse backfield, sacking Orange quarterback Steve Angeli for a 10-yard loss and jarring the football loose at the Syracuse 22-yard line. Lawson scooped up the rolling ball and raced 22 yards into the end zone. Following an off-target two-point pass attempt that was wiped out by a Syracuse pass interference penalty, Clemson attempted a two-point run from the 2-yard line, but linebacker Sammy Brown was stopped at the 1, keeping the Tigers ahead 18-6 with 6:39 left in the third quarter.
Syracuse mounted a furious fourth-quarter charge, driving 77 yards across nine plays deep into Clemson territory. Angeli ignited the push with a 35-yard third-down completion to Justus Ross-Simmons to reach the Clemson 20, and running back Ahmad Miller hammered his way down to the 3-yard line. Facing third-and-goal with 6:09 remaining, Angeli looked to throw toward David Clement, but Clemson defensive back Ashton Hampton stepped across the passing lane in the end zone for a touchback interception.
The Orange refused to fade. After forcing a Clemson punt, Syracuse regained possession at its own 26 with 4:43 left. Angeli promptly connected on five consecutive passes to tight end Daunte Bacheyie, hitting him for gains of 4, 8, 6, and 23 yards before capping the drive with a 33-yard touchdown dart down the right sideline. Tripp Woody’s extra point trimmed Clemson’s lead to 18-13 with 3:12 remaining.
Syracuse never got the ball back. Starting at their own 20 after a delay-of-game penalty, the Tigers faced third-and-8 when Reynolds scrambled up the middle for a 10-yard gain to move the chains. Two snaps later, Reynolds evaded pressure and broke down the left sideline for a 13-yard rush to the Syracuse 48. With Syracuse out of timeouts, Reynolds took three consecutive kneel-downs to secure the victory.
The first half was defined by defensive resistance and long-range kicking. Clemson grabbed an early 3-0 lead when Jarvis Green ripped off a 53-yard run on the opening snap, setting up Hauser’s 32-yard field goal. Syracuse answered with a 13-play, 67-yard drive capped by a 26-yard Woody field goal. Reynolds then connected with Bryant Wesco Jr. on a 53-yard strike to set up a 36-yard Hauser kick, pushing Clemson ahead 6-3.
After Woody missed a 32-yard field goal off the left upright early in the second quarter and Hauser was short on a 57-yard attempt, Woody tied the game at 6-6 with a 46-yard kick. Clemson briefly took a 9-6 halftime lead when Wesco executed a trick play, completing a 36-yard pass to T.J. Moore that led to a 37-yard Hauser field goal with 2:06 left in the second quarter. Syracuse defensive back Davien Kerr intercepted Reynolds with 54 seconds remaining before the break, but the Orange were unable to convert before time expired.
Reynolds finished 17-of-28 passing for 161 yards and an interception while rushing 15 times for 61 net yards. Wesco led Clemson’s pass-catchers with six receptions for 100 yards, while Green finished with 85 rushing yards on nine carries. Moore hauled in four catches for 63 yards.
Angeli completed 18 of 40 passes for 263 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, while absorbing three sacks. Miller shouldered the ground attack with 101 yards on 20 attempts. Bacheyie posted six catches for 82 yards and the lone offensive touchdown of the afternoon, while Ross-Simmons added 84 yards on four grabs and Calvin Russell III caught five passes for 80 yards.
Hampton paced the Tigers’ defense with eight solo tackles, two pass breakups, and the goal-line interception. Brown recorded eight total tackles, and Jeremiah Alexander added seven. Demetres Samuel Jr. and Nissi Ogbebor led Syracuse with six tackles apiece.
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