Gut Check: Tigers survive double OT thriller at Wake

Clemson celebrates after the double overtime victory at Wake Forest

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sat Sep 24 16:09:43 GMT-04:00 2022

WINSTON-SALEM, NC – Nate Wiggins saved the best play of the day for last, knocking down Sam Hartman’s pass into the endzone, saving the day for a Clemson defense that was battered and bruised for four quarters and two overtimes Saturday. In the end, No. 5 Clemson survived and advanced with a thrilling 51-45, two-overtime thriller at Truist Field over No. 21 Wake Forest.

The Tigers had gone ahead 51-45 with the first drive of the second overtime but missed on the two-point conversion. The ball knocked down was Wake’s last chance at either tying the score or going ahead.

The Tigers improve to 4-0 and 2-0 in the ACC, while Wake falls to 3-1 overall and 0-1 in league play. Clemson now effectively holds a two-game lead over the Demon Deacons with a big home game against NC State looming next week.

"You hate for anyone to lose that game. It was an awesome college football game," head coach Dabo Swinney said. "It's been a while before the offense had to carry the load and be the catalyst. It reminded me of 2016 when every game was higher-scoring. You hate to have games like that, but sometimes you need games like that to solidify your confidence and belief, especially coming off last year when we could hardly score 21 points."

The Tigers trailed 28-20 in the second half, but quarterback DJ Uiagalelei and running back Will Shipley led a determined Clemson offense that never buckled in the face of adversity, making every play it needed to make on the road against a determined opponent.

The Tigers racked up 559 yards of total offense, with Uiagalelei going 26-for-41 for 371 yards and five touchdowns. Shipley had 20 tough carries for 104 yards, while tight end Jake Briningstool had six catches for 72 yards and Joseph Ngata had four for 84 yards.

The defense, on the other hand, gave up 447 yards to Wake Forest, including 337 through the air.

Wake Forest took the opening kickoff and picked up two quick first downs, but were forced to punt shortly after crossing midfield. The Tigers over at their own 12, and Shipley took the first play up the middle for 53 yards to the Wake Forest 35-yard line. Seven plays later, on 2nd-and-11 at the Wake 12, Uiagalelei had all day in the pocket and waited patiently for tight end Jake Briningstool to flash open in the back of the endzone. Briningstool hauled it in for the touchdown and Clemson led 7-0 early.

The Demon Deacons were forced to punt on their second possession, but a penalty and a loss on a screen play had the Tigers looking at a 3rd-and-21 at their 29. Uiagalelei once again found Briningstool, this one for 30 yards, to the Wake 41. On the next play, Uiagalelei found Brannon Spector at the eight, and Spector wrestled it away from the defender and walked in for the score and a 14-0 lead.

Wake Forest ran nothing but go routes on the next possession, getting two pass interference penalties and a 36-yard touchdown pass to Jahmal Banks for the score. With 4:13 left to play in the first quarter, Clemson led 14-7.

The Tigers added a 24-yard field goal from BT Potter to go up 17-7, but Wake once again went to the air and Banks hauled in a 5-yard scoring pass that made it 17-14. The Tigers added another field goal, this one from 38 yards out, just before the half and led 20-14 at intermission.

The Tigers were forced to punt after the initial drive of the second half, and Wake once again carved up the Clemson secondary, with Hartman throwing a 28-yard scoring pass to Donavon Greene. Early in the third quarter, Wake led 21-20, the first time Clemson trailed in a game since early in the game against UConn in November of last season.

Another Clemson punt turned into more penalties and another Wake touchdown, this one a 19-yard touchdown to Blake Whiteheart that left Tiger defenders scattered over the turf. Trailing 28-20 and looking lost, Clemson’s season hung in the balance.

Clemson’s offense mixed in a few runs, including a 23-yarder by Uiagalelei, to drive deep into Wake territory. Uiagalelei capped off the drive with a beautiful five-yard pass to Davis Allen in the back of the endzone. The Tigers went for the two-point conversion, and Uiagalelei escaped pressure long enough to find Collins in the middle of the endzone for the conversion. Late in the third, it was tied at 28-28.

Wake once again made it look easy and once again went to the air to score, with Hartman delivering a 25-yard strike to Greene in the corner of the endzone for a 35-28 Wake lead with just over a minute to play in the third quarter.

Clemson’s offense once again answered, this time the drive kept alive on a big third down throw to Joseph Ngata that covered 46 yards and put the Tigers deep in Wake territory. The drive covered 10 plays, 75 yards, and took five precious minutes off the clock. Facing a third-and-goal at the Wake one, Shipley broke several tackles and stretched the ball out over the goal line for the score. With 11 minutes to play, it was 35-35.

Wake, again, answered quickly, but instead of a touchdown it was a field goal that have the Deacons a 38-35 lead with 8:07 to play. Clemson answered with a field goal of its own, a 52-yarder from Potter, and it was 38-38 with just under four minutes to play.

Wake crossed midfield but was forced to punt, and Clemson elected to run out the clock and play for overtime.

Wake took the ball first in overtime, and easily scored on four plays, with Hartman hitting AT Perry from eight yards out for the score and a 42-35 lead. The Tigers needed just three plays to answer, with Uiagalelei lofting a gorgeous 21-yard pass over the shoulder of Collins for the easy score and a 42-42 tie.

The Tigers had the ball first in the second overtime, and once again needed just three plays to get the score. Facing a 3rd-and-6 at the 21, Uiagalelei found Allen in the endzone for a leaping score. Under new NCAA rules, the Tigers had to go for two, and Uiagalelei’s pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage. Clemson led 51-45 with Wake’s turn still to happen.

Wake faced a fourth-and-six at their own 21, and Hartman’s pass was knocked down by Wiggins in the endzone, securing the win for the Tigers.

Clemson hosts NC State next week in Death Valley. Time will be announced later tonight.

Clemson vs Wake Box Score