Duke Game ‘A Coming Out Party’ for Freshman RB

A silver lining from Clemson’s 46-45 loss to Duke on Saturday at Memorial Stadium was the performance of running back Gideon Davidson.

The highly regarded true freshman provided a spark for the Tigers, as he ran for 51 yards on 12 carries to help a Clemson running game that totaled 175 yards. Davidson’s 51 yards and 12 carries are both career highs.

“It was great to kind of have a breakout day for Gid, and really get him in the rhythm of the offense as well,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. “He was a real bright spot in the game.”

Davidson was one of the nation’s top-ranked running backs in the 2025 recruiting cycle, as the No. 3 running back and No. 59 overall prospect in his class, per…