The Duke Blue Devils came away with a wild 46-45 road victory over Clemson on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. And the ACC Network announcers thought Duke caught a huge break from the officials in the game’s final minute.
Trailing 45-38, Duke had fourth-and-10 at the Clemson 18-yard line with 49 seconds remaining. Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah threw an incomplete pass targeted for wide receiver Que’Sean Brown just shy of the goal line.
A flag was thrown at the conclusion of the play.
“That’s a flag on the offense,” ACCN color commentator Steve Addazio said. “That’s going to be offensive pass interference, I believe. I think that’s offensive pass interference. They tackled him because he was going to try to make an interception.”
Instead, it was a defensive pass interference call against Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell, giving Duke first-and-goal at the Clemson three-yard line with 43 seconds remaining.
Addazio and ACCN play-by-play announcer Wes Durham couldn’t believe it.
This pass interference call cost Clemson the game. Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/gw3qvo3yxF
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 1, 2025
“Terrell is called for the pass interference, and, wow,” Durham said.
“Wow is right,” Addazio responded.
“Now, watch Mensah throw it off his back foot,” Durham said during a replay.
“Just throws it up there, and he’s tackling him!” Addazio said. “Wow! Holy cow! Wow!”
“Dabo Swinney is in full tilt here,” Durham said.
ACCN then showed another replay angle.
“Oh, no, no!” Addazio said. “That looks like offensive PI to me. They were tangled up a little bit, but then he was trying to get away from it and make a play towards the ball, and he got tackled, he got shoved. Wow! Holy cow!”
“Or in the mind of the official, was it the contact before the turn at the goal line?” Durham asked.
“Maybe, but, I mean, it was two-way contact there; I don’t know,” Addazio said. “That would be the only explanation. The flag came so late; it looked like it was a reaction to the offensive PI to me. But, I don’t know. We got no explanation.”
On the next play, Duke’s Nate Sheppard scored on a three-yard touchdown run. And then the Blue Devils scored what would serve as a game-winning two-point conversion as Mensah connected with wide receiver Sahmir Hagans to give Duke a 46-45 lead.
IT’S GOOD! pic.twitter.com/xC0WbubUX7
— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) November 1, 2025
So, the defensive pass interference ended up playing a big part in the final result. Then again, it’s hard to put too much on one officiating call when the defense allows 46 points at home.
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.