CLEMSON — In a game where momentum was hard to come by for the 11th-ranked Clemson Tigers, two blocked field goal attempts took away crucial opportunities in their 33-21 loss to Louisville Saturday at Memorial Stadium. 

Clemson (6-2, 5-1 ACC) found itself struggling to find any kind of rhythm in the first quarter. The Tigers started the game with two consecutive three-and-out possessions.

At the end of the first quarter, quarterback Cade Klubnik found Antonio Williams in the end zone for the first touchdown of the night. The momentum was quickly stifled, however, as Louisville (6-3, 4-2 ACC)  marched down the field and added a touchdown of its own. 

On its next possession, Clemson had a chance to kick a field goal to even the score at 10, just before the end of the half. Instead, the Cardinals blocked kicker Nolan Hauser’s 49-yard attempt, setting up its own TD for a 17-7 halftime lead.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the Tigers found themselves in a similar situation. After a six-minute, 68-yard drive, Clemson settled to kick a 24-yard field goal. Again, the ball never made it to the goalposts.

The Cardinals blocked their second field goal attempt of the night.

Following the loss, head coach Dabo Swinney was disappointed in the missed opportunities on the field goal attempts.

“The two blocked kicks, those were missed points opportunity, missed momentum opportunity, and created momentum for them,” Swinney said. “The one gave them a short field but still you got to go out there and hold them. Don’t give up a touchdown.”

After both blocked field goals, Louisville regained offensive possessions with good field position and scored on the Tigers’ defense.

Swinney credits the haphazard special teams performance to poor execution throughout the team. Additionally, the Tigers missed the help of defensive lineman Peter Woods who left the game with an injury in the first quarter.

“Just really poor execution on our left side with our wing and our tight end,” Swinney said. “Peter Woods got hurt and that kind of affected us there a little bit but that’s coaching. so you know, it’s all you can say on that, but really, really poor job.”

Though the Tigers scored two more touchdowns after the blocked kicks, it was not enough to get over the hump, as Louisville handed them their first ACC lose of the season.