Clemson escaped heart break with a 17-14 win over Syracuse at the Carrier Dome on Friday night.
The Tigers stood strong defensively on Cuse’s final drive and forced a long field goal attempt. Then Andre Szmyt pushed the 49 yard attempt wide right with 38 seconds left to play as Clemson held on.
It marked the first win away from home for Clemson so far this season and its fourth straight over Syracuse.
Clemson struck first after Tyler Venables set up a scoring drive and stopped the Orange in the red zone with 1:03 to play in the first quarter with an interception at Clemson’s own seven yard-line.
On the ensuing drive Clemson moved the ball 87 yards in 13 plays and chewed 6:57 off the clock and took a 7-0 lead on a 19 yard touchdown pass on third-and-13 from D.J. Uiagalelei to Joseph Ngata with 9:06 to play in the first quarter.
Syracuse evened things up on a two yard touchdown run by Garrett Shrader on the next drive to answer Tigers with 5:33 remaining in the second quarter.
After stalling offensively its next possession Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney made a gutsy call when faced with fourth-and-5 on the Syracuse 41 with 1:05 left in the half.
Punter Will Spiers executed a fake punt pass for a 17 yard completion to Davis Allen.
The decision paid off when Kobe Pace punched it in for a two yard touchdown run with 0:09 left in the half to give Clemson a 14-7 lead.
Orange running back Sean Tucker finished the first half with 12 carries for 132 yards and a score. But the Tigers shut him down in the second as he gained just 25 more yards and finished 22 carries 157 yards.
The third quarter proved a stalemate as neither team drove the ball down the field.
But Clemson added to its lead on a 40-yard field goal by B.T. Potter with 9:22 left in the fourth quarter to give the Tigers a 17-7 lead.
But Syracuse answered on the following series with a 62-yard touchdown pass on a prayer from Shrader as he was hit to Trebor Pena to cut Clemson’s lead to 17-14 with 7:18 to play in the contest.
Then the Orange picked up another stop and took over 4:40 remaining at their own seven yard line with an opportunity to take their first lead.
But the drive ended with Szmyt’s missed field goal from 40 yards out with 38 seconds left in the game.
Clemson returns to action next Saturday at Pittsburgh, kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Heinz Field.