CLEMSON, S.C. — In front of a stunned Memorial Stadium crowd of 80,510, Virginia Tech engineered an unforgettable fourth-quarter comeback to knock off Clemson 20-16 on Saturday night.
Trailing 16-13 with under seven minutes remaining, Virginia Tech quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer orchestrated an 11-play, 69-yard drive, converting a do-or-die fourth-and-goal with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Luke Reynolds with 1:44 left on the clock. Clemson’s desperate two-minute response reached midfield, but an overturned 26-yard catch upon video review and a fourth-down sack by Mylachi Williams iced the contest with 48 seconds remaining.
Here is the complete performance breakdown and unit-by-unit report card from Saturday’s clash in Death Valley.
Clemson Tigers Report Card
Quarterback & Passing Offense: D-
-
The Numbers: 20-of-26 passing, 153 yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 4 sacks absorbed.
-
Breakdown: Tait Reynolds showed high accuracy on underneath concepts (76.9% completion rate) but struggled to push the ball downfield into tight coverage windows. The Tigers generated zero passing touchdowns on 26 attempts. Under heavy fourth-quarter duress, Reynolds took two sacks on the final drive—first an 8-yard loss to Jaquez White and later the game-ending takedown by Mylachi Williams.
Rushing Attack: C+
-
The Numbers: 36 rushing attempts, 135 net rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown, 3.8 yards per carry.
-
Breakdown: Tait Reynolds led the ground attack with 63 net yards and Clemson’s lone touchdown on an 18-carry workload, scoring on a 16-yard run in the third quarter. Gideon Davidson provided punch between the tackles with 62 yards on 14 carries (4.4 yards per carry), including a game-long 26-yard scamper. However, the ground game stalled in short-yardage situations during the fourth quarter, posting only 5 net rushing yards on six fourth-quarter carries as the Hokies stacked the box.
Receiving Corps: C
-
The Numbers: 20 receptions, 153 yards, 0 touchdowns, 105 yards after the catch.
-
Breakdown: Tyler Brown was the focal point of the passing game, catching eight passes for 62 yards (long of 27). Bryant Wesco Jr. secured five receptions for 38 yards, while T.J. Moore had three grabs for 25 yards. Olsen Patt-Henry added two catches for 14 yards. The unit struggled to separate down the sidelines in crunch time, suffering a heartbreak when Wesco’s 26-yard third-down reception at the Virginia Tech 25 with 0:52 left was overturned to incomplete by replay officials.
Front Seven & Pass Rush: B
-
The Numbers: 10.0 tackles for loss (40 yards lost), 6.0 sacks (30 yards lost), 71 rushing yards allowed.
-
Breakdown: Clemson’s defensive front harassed Ethan Grunkemeyer throughout the first three quarters, compiling 10 tackles for loss and six sacks. Will Heldt was a menace with two sacks and two tackles for loss. Linebacker Sammy Brown racked up seven tackles, Fletcher Cothran posted four tackles and a pass breakup, and Jahiem Lawson and D. Mayo added one sack apiece. Despite those splash plays, the front could not produce a fourth-quarter stop on Virginia Tech’s decisive 69-yard touchdown drive.
Secondary & Discipline: D+
-
The Numbers: 21 completions allowed on 33 attempts, 164 passing yards allowed, 2 passing touchdowns allowed, 7 penalties for 65 yards.
-
Breakdown: Corey Myrick turned in an active game with nine tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a pass breakup, while Ashton Hampton added six solo tackles and a tackle for loss. However, Clemson’s defensive backfield crumbled under discipline lapses on Virginia Tech’s game-winning drive. Elliot Washington II was whistled for a personal foul and a pass interference penalty, while Jerome Carter III was flagged for pass interference at the Clemson 29, gifting Virginia Tech fresh sets of downs before Grunkemeyer found Reynolds for the winning score.
Special Teams: B+
-
The Numbers: 3-for-3 field goals, 1-for-1 PAT, 5 punts for 211 yards (42.2 average), 3 punt returns for 38 yards.
-
Breakdown: Nolan Hauser was flawless on placekicks, drilling field goals from 34, 49, and 36 yards while also punting twice for a 49.5-yard average, including a 63-yard boot. Jack Smith placed two of his three punts inside the 20-yard line. Bryant Wesco Jr. provided positive field position with three punt returns for 38 yards (long of 25), and Chris Johnson Jr. recorded a 16-yard kickoff return.
Death Valley Disaster: Virginia Tech Stuns Clemson