Cade Klubnik has really made a difference for Clemson this season, which has been important for the 21st-ranked Tigers’ improved offense.
Klubnik, a junior in his second full year as starting quarterback, threw three touchdown passes and ran for a 55-yard touchdown in Clemson’s 59-35 victory over N.C. State to kick off Atlantic Coast Conference play.
In his previous game, he was involved in seven touchdowns—five passing and two rushing—in a 66-20 win over Appalachian State.
“He’s just had a lot of growth,” said Clemson tailback Phil Mafah. “Him growing as a leader, growing as a quarterback. He’s making his reads faster. He’s confident and that’s what got us here.”
This led to Clemson’s second straight big win that was decided by halftime. The Tigers (2-1, 1-0 ACC) jumped out to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter and were up 45-7 by halftime.
“To play the way we did, to come out and really not skip a beat,” Klubnik said. “We got better over the last two weeks and kept our momentum going.”
That was different from last season when Klubnik struggled with mistakes and poor decisions. The Tigers, expected to compete for an ACC title, found themselves out of the race before November with a 4-4 record.
These days, Klubnik is making the most of what he sees. His 55-yard touchdown run was the longest scoring run by a Clemson quarterback since Trevor Lawrence had a 67-yard run against Ohio State in 2019.
Klubnik then threw scoring passes of 31 and 2 yards to Antonio Williams, and Mafah added a 38-yard touchdown run.
“I see us continuing to build momentum,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said, “and momentum is a powerful thing.”
N.C. State (2-2, 0-1) struggled to respond, losing its 10th straight game at Death Valley.
Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren noticed a defense that did not play well early on. “Guys not fitting the run properly. Playing soft in coverage, just not aggressive,” he said. “It looked like we were on our heels.”
