Clemson Tigers Offensive Players to Watch vs. Virginia Cavaliers

Here are the three offensive players that could help either Clemson or Virginia win Saturday’s ACC contest.

Oct 12, 2024; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers running back Phil Mafah (7) is tackled by Wake Forest Demon Deacons linebacker Branson Combs (21) during the first half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers offense is playing like an absolute juggernaut as it goes into its next ACC game against the Virginia Cavaliers at noon eastern on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

Just how good has the No.10 Tigers (5-1, 4-0 in ACC) offense been so far this season? Well, throw out the 34-3 loss to Georgia. In their last five games, the Tigers have averaged 48.6 points. That’s an incredible total and it's why many were surprised that Clemson didn't score in the first quarter against Wake Forest on Saturday. It was their first scoreless first quarter since the Georgia game.

The Tigers took care of that with a 28-point second quarter on their way to a 49-14 win. Saying Clemson is firing on all cylinders would be an understatement.

The Cavaliers (4-2, 2-1) can score points, too. They've cleared 30 points in three games this year. That includes a 31-30 win over Wake Forest. But the other two games were against FCS power Richmond and Sun Belt power Coastal Carolina.

In Virginia’s other three games against power four opponents, the most points the Cavaliers have scored is 27 against Maryland.

Here are three offensive players to watch for each team going into Saturday’s contest.

Clemson

QB Cade Klubnik

Klubnik — who was named the ACC quarterback of the week for the second time this month — is playing with an aggressiveness and efficiency that stands out. He's completing 66.8% of his passes, has racked up 1,528 yards, and has thrown 17 touchdown passes against two interceptions. The offensive line has done a masterful job protecting him and he's the team's second-leading rusher with 198 yards and four touchdowns. He’s playing at an elite level.

The Offensive Line

This Clemson Tigers offensive line has been one of the best in college football in the first half of the season. How else would the Tigers have done what they’ve done offensively without them? Going into the season, left guard Marcus Tate was the most recognized name in the group. But with left tackles Tristan Leigh and Collin Sadler, center Ryan Linthicum, right guard Walker Parks and right tackle Blake Miller, the unit has gelled into a well-oiled machine.

RB Phil Mafah

It's pretty incredible to watch Mafah work halfway through the season. He has four 100-yard rushing games, and while Klubnik’s emergence as a ball carrier has siphoned off some of the touchdowns, he's averaging 6.9 yards per carry and has 604 yards on just 87 carries. He's one of the most efficient running backs in college football and it's hard to imagine Clemson's offense running as productively without him.

Virginia

QB Anthony Colandrea

In his second season of college football, Colandrea is putting together a season infinitely more productive than his first. He’s thrown for 1,490 yards passing, nine touchdowns and four interceptions and could surpass all of his career highs in the next two to three games. He's improved his completion percentage and he's done a good job of avoiding mistakes. In some ways, he's a lot like Klubnik in that he can also run the ball. He's coming off an 84-yard rushing performance against Louisville so Clemson's defense can’t lose containment.

RB Kobe Pace

The Cavaliers have three quality runners. On paper, Xavier Brown has slightly more rushing yards than Pace. But Pace has been more consistent. Smith gained more than half of his yards in one game while Pace has four games of at least 40 yards rushing. He's also hit the end zone twice, making him a slightly more enticing red zone option that the Tigers will have to keep their eye on.

WR Malachi Fields

When Colandrea throws the football, Fields is his most likely target. He has nearly twice as many receptions as the Cavs’ second option and more than two times as many receiving yardage. He's caught 37 passes for 541 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 14.6 yards per catch. In the context of his career, he's approaching his career bests from a season ago, when he caught 58 passes for 807 yards and five touchdowns.