Clemson achieved a significant milestone by defeating NC State 59-35, marking the program’s 800th win, making it the 14th FBS team and the first in the ACC to reach this achievement. The game took place at a packed Memorial Stadium as part of the 92nd Textile Bowl. Junior quarterback Cade Klubnik was instrumental in the victory, leading the Tigers to touchdowns on seven of his nine drives, contributing to a total of 254 passing yards and 269 yards rushing.
The Tigers’ defense was aggressive, forcing two first-quarter turnovers, allowing the offense to establish a commanding 28-0 lead by the end of the first quarter and a 45-7 advantage at halftime.
Klubnik completed 16 of 24 passes for 209 yards and threw for three touchdowns, while also rushing for 70 yards, highlighted by a career-long 55-yard touchdown run. Over his last 17 drives, Klubnik has led Clemson to touchdowns on 15 occasions and has accounted for 11 touchdowns, including eight passing and three rushing.
Running back Phil Mafah contributed significantly as well, rushing for 107 yards on seven carries, which included a 38-yard touchdown run, making him the 22nd player in school history to surpass 2,000 career rushing yards.
The defense, led by cornerback Ashton Hampton, who intercepted a pass and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown late in the game, helped to maintain the pressure on NC State. The Tigers recorded eight tackles for loss, with standout performance from freshman linebacker Sammy Brown, who achieved four tackles for loss, the highest for a Tiger since 2019.
Klubnik set the tone early in the game with a 55-yard touchdown run on the fourth play. Following a three-and-out by NC State, Mafah sparked a drive with a 34-yard run, and Klubnik later found Antonio Williams for a 31-yard touchdown pass, widening the gap to 14-0. After a forced fumble by Clemson’s defense, Klubnik connected with Williams again for another touchdown, extending the lead to 21-0.
The Tigers’ defense remained relentless, forcing another fumble that led to Mafah’s 38-yard touchdown run, pushing the score to 28-0. Although NC State scored its first points with a five-yard touchdown run by Jordan Waters, Clemson countered with a rushing touchdown by Cole Turner, marking the first career touchdown for him and bringing the score to 35-7.
Clemson continued to dominate into the second half with a touchdown from Klubnik to Adam Randall. After several possessions resulted in punts, Hampton’s interception resulted in another touchdown, extending the lead to 59-14 before NC State managed to score a few more times.
Clemson will continue its homestand on Saturday, September 28, facing Stanford in what promises to be an exciting matchup during Homecoming. The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN.