Clemson secured its first Atlantic Coast Conference victory of the season with a 28-20 comeback win over North Carolina on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The game, which lasted nearly six hours due to a 2½-hour weather delay in the fourth quarter, featured a pivotal rally led by running back Gideon Davidson and freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds in his first career start.
North Carolina jumped to an early 17-3 lead, riding a 3-yard touchdown run by Demon June and a 15-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. to Benjamin Hall in the flat. Hall finished with 135 yards rushing and also caught a touchdown for the Tar Heels, who have now gone 25 years without a home win against Clemson.
Clemson responded by narrowing the deficit to 17-15 before halftime. Freshman quarterback Reynolds, coming off the bench in previous games, completed 20 of 29 passes for 215 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He threw his first career touchdown pass—a 27-yard strike to wide receiver Christian Bentancur—late in the third quarter. A two-point conversion attempt following the touchdown was unsuccessful.
With just over eight minutes remaining and Clemson trailing 20-17, the game was paused due to lightning in the area, sending players and fans to seek shelter. When play resumed in a half-empty stadium, Clemson’s defense tightened, forcing North Carolina to settle for a field goal after two goal-line stands. The Tigers seized momentum on offense, with running back Isaiah Dennison breaking a 45-yard run and scoring an eight-yard touchdown on the next play, giving Clemson its first lead at 21-20.
North Carolina’s offense was subsequently stopped on downs near midfield. Clemson extended its lead late in the game when Tyler Brown scored on a 34-yard run with just one minute remaining. Brown’s decision not to slide before crossing the goal line allowed North Carolina an opportunity to regain possession, but the Tar Heels were unable to capitalize. Clemson’s Elliot Washington intercepted Edwards with 32 seconds left, sealing the victory.
North Carolina coach Bill Belichick downplayed the impact of the prolonged weather delay on his team’s performance, stating, “They made a few more plays than us in the last eight minutes of the game. We missed some opportunities on offense and some tackles on defense.”
Clemson improved to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while North Carolina fell to 2-1 overall and 1-1 in the ACC. The Tigers demonstrated resilience in overcoming a substantial early deficit and adverse weather conditions to open their conference schedule with a win.