Duke Stuns Clemson to Record First Top-10 Win Since 1989

The Blue Devils, 13-point home underdogs, toppled the country’s No. 9 team in dominant fashion.

Duke and Clemson opened their seasons with a Monday night matchup at Wallace Wade Stadium, and the Blue Devils pulled off the remarkable, stunning the nation’s No. 9 team with one of college football’s biggest  upsets in the early goings of the season. 

Duke held the Tigers scoreless during the second half in what was a resounding 28–7 victory. The win was the first time the program has beaten a top-10 team since toppling No. 7 Clemson in 1989, which came during Steve Spurrier’s last season as Duke's head coach.

Heading into Monday night's showdown with the Tigers, the Blue Devils had lost 28 straight games to top-10 teams. According to OptaSTATS, Duke became the only unranked FBS team in the last 40 years to open a season with a 20-point win over an AP top-10 opponent.

GAME!!!!! pic.twitter.com/5MEnMgrkTf

— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) September 5, 2023

Quarterback Riley Leonard was solid, rushing for 98 yards and a touchdown on the ground, while throwing for 175 and one score in the air. The game was won thanks to the timely Blue Devils defense that caused three turnovers and got two fourth-down stops.

Former TCU offensive coordinator Garrett Riley’s offense produced an impressive 422 total yards of offense, but his unit only was able to score seven points due to turnovers and ineffectiveness inside the red zone.

Clemson QB Cade Klubnik struggled all night, completing just 27 of 43 passes for just 209 yards, one touchdown and one interception.