It was an agonizing, incomprehensible collapse.
Louisville had two chances—with two different kickers—to win the game in the final five minutes. Both times, the kicks sailed wide.
The result was a stunning 20-19 upset victory for a struggling Clemson (4-5, 3-4) team over Louisville (7-2, 4-2) under the Friday night lights at L&N Stadium.
The Tigers, led by a heroic two-touchdown performance from running back Randall , stormed the field in disbelief as Louisville’s final, desperate 4th-and-1 pass fell incomplete with three seconds left, sealing one of the most improbable conference wins of the season.
Randall was the offensive engine for the Tigers, finishing with 105 rushing yards on 15 carries. His 1-yard touchdown plunge with 7:16 left in the game gave Clemson the 20-19 lead it would never relinquish.
That score, however, only set the stage for a chaotic and disastrous final stretch for the Cardinals.
How It Was Lost
After Randall's go-ahead touchdown , Louisville quarterback Moss (19-for-27, 212 yards) uncorked a 48-yard bomb to Lacy to get deep into Clemson territory. But the drive stalled, forcing a 50-yard field goal attempt from Ranvier with 4:06 on the clock.
He missed it wide left.
Clemson’s offense then sputtered, inexplicably running a fake punt on 4th-and-6 that resulted in a 13-yard loss. The play gifted Louisville the ball at the Clemson 23-yard line with 2:29 left.
But the Cardinals' offense went backward. This time, they turned to kicker Keller for a 46-yard attempt to win the game.
He also missed it wide left.
Even then, Louisville got the ball back one last time at its own 9-yard line with 30 seconds to go. After a few quick completions, a final 4th-and-1 pass from Moss was broken up, ending the game.
A Back-and-Forth Battle
The game was a tight, defensive struggle throughout. Clemson took a 3-0 lead before Louisville answered with a 51-yard field goal from Ranvier. The Cardinals took their first lead, 9-3, on a 1-yard TD run by Moss , but the extra point failed.
Clemson stole the momentum right before the half when Randall broke free for a 25-yard touchdown run, giving the Tigers a 10-9 lead at the break.
Louisville reclaimed the lead in the third quarter on a 2-yard trick-play touchdown pass from wide receiver Lacy to Kurisky. The Cardinals extended that lead to 19-13 with another Ranvier field goal, setting up Clemson’s fourth-quarter comeback.
By the Numbers
While Randall carried the day for Clemson, quarterback Klubnik Moore was his top target, hauling in 6 catches for 68 yards. The Clemson defense was led by Brown, who registered 11 total tackles and a sack.
For Louisville, BrownBell was the leading receiver with 5 catches for 79 yards.
The loss is a devastating blow to Louisville's season, while Clemson secures a season-defining road win to move one step closer to bowl eligibility.