Dabo Swinney Blasts Game‑Losing Penalty vs. Duke

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney blasted a late fourth‑down defensive pass‑interference call on cornerback Avieon Terrell as “one of the worst calls” he’s seen after Duke’s 46–45 upset at Death Valley. With under a minute remaining the flag erased what appeared to be a game‑sealing stop, placed the ball at the 3, Nate Sheppard scored and Darian Mensah completed the two‑point conversion to give Duke the lead. The loss, Duke’s first road win at Clemson since 1980, dropped Clemson to 3–5 and left the defending ACC champions on pace for their worst season under Swinney since 2010. Replays and analysts suggested Duke receiver Que’Sean Brown initiated contact on Terrell, fueling criticism of the official’s interpretation. Swinney also faulted his team for self‑inflicted mistakes and costly penalties despite a high‑scoring offensive output.