Durham, NC (Sports Network) - Tajh Boyd threw five touchdown passes for a
second straight game, lifting the 10th-ranked Clemson Tigers over the Duke
Blue Devils, 56-20.
Boyd completed 16-of-23 passes for 344 yards and three interceptions for the
Tigers (8-1, 5-1 ACC), who have won five in a row since a loss to Florida
State on Sept. 22. He also carried the ball nine times for 72 yards and a
score.
DeAndre Hopkins caught four passes for 128 yards and three touchdowns for
Clemson, which racked up 718 yards of total offense. Sammy Watkins hauled in
six passes for 97 yards and a score.
The win moved Clemson into a tie with the Seminoles atop the ACC's Atlantic
Division.
Sean Renfree connected on 23-of-39 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown for
the Blue Devils (6-4, 3-3), who have dropped two straight. Jamison Crowder
caught seven passes for 167 yards and a score.
All three of Hopkins' TD catches came in the first quarter. On the first
possession of the game, Hopkins hauled in a 5-yard touchdown pass from Boyd.
After Ross Martin made a 46-yard field goal for Duke, Hopkins caught a 58-yard
TD pass.
Crowder responded with a 77-yard TD catch to make it 14-10. But Hopkins' 45-
yard touchdown catch gave Clemson a 21-10 lead with 4:49 left.
The Tigers started to pull away after Watkins' 30-yard TD catch near the end
of the first quarter.
David Reeves of Duke caught a 17-yard TD pass from Brandon Connette early in
the second stanza, cutting the gap to 28-17.
But Boyd responded with a touchdown pass and a rushing score to make it 42-17
at the break.
D.J. Howard's 1-yard TD run made it 49-17 midway through the third period.
Martin made a 47-yard field goal with 1:56 left to make it a 29-point contest.
Charone Peake hauled in a 12-yard TD pass from Cole Stoudt in the fourth
quarter.
Game Notes
Clemson holds a 36-16-1 series advantage all-time against Duke ... Boyd tied a
school record with five touchdown passes against Wake Forest on Oct. 25.
The Sports Network