Clemson Rallies to Defeat Wake Forest and Remain on Top in ACC Standings

Wake Forest found out again Saturday that Death Valley is a scary place to play if you don’t wear orange, but not before the Demon Deacons threw a scare into No. 14 Clemson.

The Tigers relied on a pair of long touchdown runs by Joe Henderson in the final period to rally for a 31-17 victory.

The victory, coupled with Maryland’s 27-14 loss to North Carolina, leaves the Tigers, 7-1 overall, alone atop the Atlantic Coast Conference at 4-1. North Carolina is 3-1, and Maryland is 3-2.

Wake Forest, which has lost three straight, is now 5-3 and 2-3.

It was Henderson who made the difference, rushing 20 times for a career-high 131 yards.

Henderson, a sophomore, got his chance to play when Wesley McFadden dislocated his thumb in pregame drills.

Clemson trailed, 17-10, at the half, but tied the game on Terry Allen’s 5-yard run that ended a 13-play, 65-yard drive with 7:40 left in the third period.

The Tigers then took the lead on a 90-yard, 9-play drive that ended when Henderson broke three tackles on a 31-yard touchdown run with 12:24 left.

The Demon Deacons drove to the Clemson 34, but an incomplete pass by Mike Elkins on fourth down ended that threat with 9:53 left.