Duke quarterback Riley Leonard just won the biggest game of his career, and all he could think about was a late homework assignment.
Following Duke’s first win against the Tigers since 2004, Leonard was giving a post-game interview on the field when he turned to the camera and said,
“Professor Taylor, if you’re seeing this, please let me turn in my homework late because it was due tonight. I think at 12,” the Blue Devils signal caller pleaded after a stunning 28-7 upset of No. 9 Clemson.
Leonard was well-deserving of an extension on his homework assignment after schooling Clemson and helping Duke snap a 28-game losing streak against top-10 opponents.
The highlight for the junior from Fairhope, Ala. came early in the third quarter when he broke loose for a 44-yard touchdown run.
But make no mistake, plenty of credit also goes to Duke’s defense.
Three times the Blue Devils stood their ground after Clemson had pushed inside the 10-yard line — even to the one on two of those possessions — to hold the Tigers scoreless.
Duke blocked two field goals and twice recovered fumbles in those critical near-the-goal-line moments and didn’t surrender massive chunks of big-play yardage in Clemson’s first game with new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley.
While not taking anything away from Duke, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney pinned the blame on the Tigers’ self-inflicted wounds.
“We’re not entitled to win,” Swinney said. “We’ve got to go earn it. And we had plenty of opportunity to get control of that game on multiple occasions and we just didn’t. And that’s how you get beat.”
