In 1988, Duke had an offense that was tearing up the ACC.
Under second-year head coach Steve Spurrier, the Blue Devils were averaging an ACC best 31.6 points per game and were ranked sixth nationally in total offense. Duke was slinging the football all over the field behind 1988 ACC Player of the Year Anthony Dilweg, who was leading the nation in passing.
When Duke came to Clemson’s Death Valley on October 15, 1988, it was 5-0 and ranked No. 22 in the country. The 11th-ranked Tigers were coming off a come-from-behind win the week before at Virginia and were 4-1 and 2-0 in the ACC.