DURHAM, N.C. -- Clemson tailback Cliff Austin ran for 177 yards and two touchdowns and quarterback Homer Jordan threw for one touchdown and ran for another Saturday to power the seventh-ranked Tigers to a 38-10 triumph over Duke.
Austin scored on runs of 16 and 2 yards, while Jordan racked up his scores on a 1-yard sneak and a 29-yard pass to Perry Tuttle. Brendon Crite scored on a 4-yard run and Bob Paulling added a 20-yard field goal for the Tigers, 6-0. Duke, 3-3, got its only touchdown on Ben Bennett's 21-yard pass to Cedric Jones in the third quarter -- the first TD against Clemson in 18 quarters. Scott McKinney kicked a 28-yard field goal for the Blue Devils' other score.
Bennett passed for 233 yards in the game, while Jordan totaled 193 yards. Austin set the tone on Clemson's first play, running 21 yards on a pitchout to start a Tiger drive that ended with Crite's touchdown with 11:52 left in the first quarter. Mixing its passing and running plays, Clemson showed its mettle to Peach and Liberty Bowl scouts by marching 77 yards on its next drive. Paulling capped it with his field goal with 13:55 left in the half, raising the Tigers' lead to 10-0.
Duke errors started the next two Clemson scoring drives, the first coming when Mike Grayson fumbled at midfield. Austin's 16-yard ramble around right end finished the drive with 9:05 remaining in the half.
The Tigers' next scoring drive began on their 1 when safety Terry Kinard intercepted a Bennett pass. Austin got the Tigers out of the hole four plays later when he dashed 77 yards on a trap play. Jordan scored three plays later from the one.
McKinney's field goal came with 45 seconds left in the half and the Blue Devils got their only touchdown in the third quarter to cut the lead to 31-10 at that point.