Clemson finally has its signature win of the 2026 season.
The Tigers erased a 14-point halftime deficit Saturday afternoon, rallying past North Carolina 28-20 in a wild ACC opener at Memorial Stadium. The game was delayed for more than two hours because of lightning, but Clemson came out of the delay with a completely different level of energy.
North Carolina controlled much of the first half. The Tar Heels jumped out to a 14-3 lead in the opening quarter and took a 17-6 advantage into halftime. Clemson’s offense struggled to finish drives, leaving the Tigers in a difficult position.
Then everything changed.
Clemson scored 13 unanswered points after halftime to take control of the game. Tait Reynolds helped keep the offense moving, finishing with 215 passing yards and a touchdown. Gideon Davidson also came up huge on the ground with 105 rushing yards.
The Tigers finally took their first lead with just 5:01 remaining when Davidson powered into the end zone on an eight-yard touchdown run. Clemson wasn’t finished.
Just over four minutes later, Tyler Brown broke loose for a 34-yard touchdown run, giving the Tigers a 28-20 advantage and sending Memorial Stadium into a frenzy.
Clemson’s defense then closed the door.
After being pushed around early, the Tigers held North Carolina scoreless in the third quarter and allowed only a field goal in the fourth. The Tar Heels finished with 349 total yards, while Clemson produced 401 yards of offense.
The victory moves Clemson to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in ACC play.
After the disastrous 51-10 loss to LSU to open the season and a sluggish win over Georgia Southern, Clemson desperately needed a performance like this. Instead of folding after falling behind, the Tigers showed resilience and found a way to finish the game.
Clemson’s season is suddenly headed in a much different direction.
The Tigers survived a wild afternoon in Death Valley, and the comeback could provide the momentum they need for the rest of ACC play.
