CLEMSON, S.C. -- Amid heavy rain, the quarterbacks wilted, but Clemson’s defense weathered the storm.

In a game the Tigers dominated early, Notre Dame staged a furious second-half comeback, but two takeaways, including a forced fumble by Jayron Kearse at the Clemson 4-yard line, and Carlos Watkins’ tackle of DeShone Kizer on a two-point try preserved a 24-22 win on Saturday. The Irish were inside the Clemson red zone on four of their final five drives, but two failed two-point conversions allowed the Tigers to hang on for the win in spite of a dreadful offensive performance.

Jordan Leggett helped Clemson's College Football Playoff hopes soar on Saturday night. Matt Cashore/USA TODAY Sports

What the win means for Clemson: The ACC has largely been ignored on the national stage through four weeks of the season, but the Tigers finally landed a marquee win for the league. The overall profile of the conference will remain in question, but this was a statement victory for Clemson. Quarterback Deshaun Watson wasn’t at his best, but the defense was spectacular with Shaq Lawson and Co. dominating a highly regarded Notre Dame offensive line. More importantly, however, this win solidified the notion that the Tigers didn’t need to rebuild a defense after losing eight starters from last year’s unit. They’ve just reloaded with Kearse, B.J. Goodson and Lawson looking every bit as dominant as the group that led the nation in total defense a year ago.

What the loss means for Notre Dame: It’s probably too early to write the Irish’s playoff obituary after one loss, but this one will sting. Notre Dame had its chances down the stretch, and making his first road start under dismal conditions, Kizer did all he could to win the game. And when the Clemson defense was on its heels late, and the Irish were knocking on the door, the ball slipped away -- along with the ballgame. It’s a script that will frustrate Irish fans, but it’s also one the committee might look upon favorably if Notre Dame can win out.

Stat of the game: 97. That’s how many yards Watson, Clemson’s star quarterback, threw for. In the past decade, the Tigers had never won a game when throwing for fewer than 100 yards, and as Clemson looked to ice the game late, it didn’t bother to try to throw the ball downfield. There was simply nothing there all night. Chalk it up to the bad weather and the absence of the Tigers’ top downfield threat, Mike Williams, but it’s definitely a performance Watson won’t want on his highlight reel and one the Clemson defense worked hard to overcome.

Players of the game: The Clemson defensive line. This wasn’t a battle the Tigers were supposed to win. The Irish entered with one of the top offensive lines in the country, but Lawson, Watkins and the rest of the Tigers’ defensive front was in the Notre Dame backfield all night. Kizer was elusive enough to keep a few key plays alive, but C.J. Prosise -- averaging 8 yards a carry entering the game -- mustered just 50 yards on 15 rushes. Overall, Notre Dame’s ground game managed just 3.5 yards per carry, and Kizer spent most of the night running for his life; Clemson recorded four sacks.