Defense stops Louisville on late goal line stand as Tigers escape with win

DJ Uiagalelei looks for the throw against Louisville. (Photo: Ken Ruinard / USATODAY)

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sat Nov 06 23:12:46 GMT-05:00 2021

LOUISVILLE, KY – Clemson’s defense didn’t play great at times Saturday night against Louisville but rose to the occasion with the game on the line in the closing seconds, stopping Cardinal quarterback Malik Cunningham on 4th-and-goal at the Clemson two with 10 seconds left to play, lifting the Tigers to a 30-24 victory at Cardinal Stadium.

Clemson took over on downs inside the Louisville 25 with just over two minutes to play but went ultra conservative and settled for a BT Potter field goal and a 30-24 lead, and the Cardinals drove down the field on the ensuing possession and had 1st-and-goal at the Clemson three with just over a minute left. The defense held, however, allowing the Tigers to escape with the win.

Clemson improves to 6-3 overall and 5-2 in the ACC while Louisville falls to 4-5 overall and 2-4 in league play.

DJ Uiagalelei was 18-of-30 for 220 yards and two scores while Beaux Collins caught a career-high six passes for 104 yards and a score. The Tigers were outgained 397-338, and Cunningham had 134 yards on 22 carries and threw for 174 yards on 12-of-20 passing. His injury in the third quarter allowed the Tigers to creep back in the game.

With the win, Clemson is bowl eligible for the 17th consecutive season, the 5th-longest streak in the country.

"First off, hats off to Louisville. That quarterback is special. Unfortunately, I think he has another year," head coach Dabo Swinney said.

"Proud of our guys, good start to November. We don't always make it easy, but we showed heart. Not everybody gets a chance to experience what it's like to be part of a locker room like that, the belief."

Swinney said he had his eyes closed during the last Louisville play.

"I couldn't tell the route combination, it was a blur to me," Swinney said. "I just had my eyes on that quarterback. I was just over there praying to the good Lord. I knew they were going to run the quarterback and probably give him some options. I just knew he was going to get on the edge."

The Cardinals took the opening kickoff and marched 75 in just six plays. A 17-yard pass on third down and a 15-yard facemask penalty on the play gave Louisville the ball inside the Clemson 30, and one play later Jalen Mitchell scampered untouched into the end zone for a 26-yard scoring run. Barely three minutes into the game Louisville led 7-0. That was the first time Clemson’s defense has allowed points on its opponent’s opening drive since last year’s ACC title game vs Notre Dame.

It didn’t take the Tigers long to answer. Kobe Pace ran for 12 yards on the first play, Uiagalelei hit Joseph Ngata on a pretty back shoulder throw for 17 yards on the second play, and then Uiagalelei hit a streaking Beaux Collins in stride for a 46-yard touchdown pass. The drive covered 75 yards in just three plays and the game was tied 7-7 just four minutes into the game.

The teams then traded punts, but Louisville received a huge break when of their punts hit returner Will Brown high on the shoulder pads. The ball bounced around and was recovered by Louisville, which quickly turned the turnover into a 23-yard touchdown by quarterback Malik Cunningham. Late in the first quarter the Cards were back on top at 14-7. The Cardinals later added a 44-yard field goal and led 17-7 early in the second quarter.

Uiagalelei left with a knee sprain and backup Taisun Phommachanh engineered a drive that ended with BT Potter’s 38-yard field goal, and the Cardinals led 17-10 with 5:44 left in the half.

Clemson’s defense forced a punt and the Tigers took over at their own 15 with 1:46 to play in the half. A 27-yard pass to Justyn Ross helped set up an eight-yard scoring toss from Uiagalelei to Davis Allen. The game was tied at 17-17 heading into the half.

Clemson punted to open the second half and it was Cunningham and his legs that put the Cardinals back on top. He capped the opening drive of the second half for Louisville by racing almost untouched down the left sideline for a 51-yard run, and the Cardinals led 24-17 with 11:29 to play in the third quarter.

Will Shipley returned the ensuing kickoff 75 yards to the Louisville 18-yard line, and in four plays the Tigers face a 4th-and-goal at the one. Swinney decided to go for the touchdown instead of the field goal, but Phil Mafah was stopped short to turn it over on downs.

The Cardinals drove it out of the endzone and into Clemson territory but Cunningham went out with an ankle injury with the Cards inside the Tigers’ 30. Backup Evan Conley couldn’t move the offense and the Cards missed a long field goal.

Two drives later Clemson got back on the board with a 34-yard field goal from Potter, and with 10:17 to play Louisville led 24-20. Cunningham came sprinting out of the tunnel to the cheers of the crowd, but he was sacked on third down and the Cardinals were forced to put it away. After the short punt the Tigers took over at their own 43 with 8:11 to play.

The Tigers then put together the kind of grind-it-out drive they’ve had to manufacture this season. A big play on the drive was a 3rd-and-8 toss to Ross where Ross caught the ball short of the marker but battled for the first down. Uiagalelei finished the drive with an 8-yard scoring run, and Clemson led 27-24 with just over four minutes to play. The drive covered 57 yards in nine plays.

Louisville failed to get a first down on three plays, and facing a 4th-and-5 at the 29, the Cardinals elected to go for it instead of punt the ball away with three timeouts. Cunningham, spied by safety Andrew Mukuba, was dropped for a loss and the Tigers took over on downs.

Clemson’s offense simply ran into a brick wall on three consecutive plays, forcing Louisville to use its timeouts, and got a 40-yard field goal from Potter to lead 30-24 with 2:19 to play.

The Cardinals immediately completed a 45-yard pass, and then a 4th-and-1 completed a long pass that was ruled incomplete on the field but replay reversed the decision. The reversal gave the Cards the ball at the Clemson three with 1:19 to play. However, Cunningham lost two yards on fourth down and the Tigers celebrated the victory, taking over on downs with 10 seconds left to play.

The Tigers return home next week, hosting UConn in a noon kickoff.