Notre Dame spotted Clemson 14 first half points with a pick six and a fumbled punt and the Fighting Irish could not recover in a 31-23. A sputtering offense could find no traction in the final 20 minutes even though the defense tightened up and gave them numerous opportunities. Punter Aidan Swanson pinned Notre Dame deep in its own territory five consecutive times in that stretch while quarterback Sam Hartman could not find time in the pocket or an open receiver.
Tailback Phil Mafah was a force for Clemson. He ran for 186 yards on 36 carries with two touchdowns.