Clemson Football: 3 takeaways from heart-wrenching win over North Carolina

Clemson football went to Chapel Hill and nearly lost its first game since 2017. What did we learn as the Tigers barely escaped an upset vs. North Carolina?

It was a tense day in Chapel Hill for the top-ranked Clemson Tigers, who found themselves locked in a struggle as they visited North Carolina. At Kenan Memorial Stadium, the two teams locked down in a defensive battle that rendered the ACC champions mortal.

North Carolina took an early lead on their opening drive of the contest, and the Tar Heels continued to push the defending national champions throughout the first half. As the two teams headed to the locker room at halftime, Clemson found themselves in a deadlocked 14-14 battle that simultaneously illuminated the improvement in Chapel Hill this year as well as the ongoing issues that linger for the Tigers.

Clemson didn’t take their first lead of the game until two-thirds of the way through the fourth quarter. North Carolina came right back and scored with less than a minute and a half remaining, but a failed two-point conversion allowed the Tigers to escape with a 21-20 win on the road.

In the end, Dabo Swinney’s team remained unbeaten. But it was a flat performance that will make poll voters reconsider their love for the defending champions at the top of this year’s Top 25 rankings. Here are three things to take away from Clemson’s near-Clemsoning on Saturday afternoon in North Carolina.