Clemson Tigers Offensive Superstars To Watch Against Pittsburgh Panthers

Here are the three offensive players for each team that could define Saturday’s showdown between the Clemson Tigers and the Pitt Panthers

Nov 2, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers running back Phil Mafah (7) runs against Louisville Cardinals defensive back MJ Griffin (26) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

If the past few games are any indication, the points will be at a premium for Clemson then it faces Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Kickoff is set for noon eastern with the game set to be broadcast on ESPN.

Clemson (7-2, 6-1 in ACC) can put points on the board, but in road games it’s been a struggle compared to at Memorial Stadium. In five home games the Tigers have scored 49.2 points per game. On the road or at a neutral site that average is just 26.2 points.

That’s to be expected. But the quick starts the Tigers enjoyed earlier this season seem to have become a thing of the past.  

Pitt (7-2, 3-2) has won close, low-scoring games this season, including a 17-15 win over Cal. The Panthers can also put points on the board, as they’ve dropped 30 or more points on four opponents. But, lately, the offense has averaged just 22 points in the last two games. That includes just 19 points at home last week in a loss to Virginia.

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

Clemson

QB Cade Klubnik

The Tigers need Klubnik to get back to being efficient. In the win over Virginia Tech, his completion percentage dropped for the fourth straight game, this time to 47.1%. He threw three touchdowns but was picked off once and sacked four times. Entering this game he has 2,275 yards passing with 24 touchdowns and four interceptions.

RB Phil Mafah

He already has a career high for rushing yards with 981 this season. In all likelihood he’ll cross the 1,000-yard threshold against Pitt. The Tigers need him to have another big day. He’s rushed for 100 or more yards in six of his nine games and three of those games have come on the road. Clemson won all three of them.

WR Antonio Williams

Injuries have made the position a bit of a revolving door. But Williams has been the constant. He has three touchdown receptions in his last five games and enters the game with 40 catches for 468 yards and six touchdowns. The Tigers are likely going to need one or two big plays in the passing game. Williams will be the receiver they look for.

Pittsburgh

QB Eli Holstein

He suffered a reported head injury on Saturday so his status bears monitoring all week. But if he plays he’ll be the driving force of Pitt’s offense. The Alabama transfer has passed for 2,174 yards and completed nearly 62% of his passes. He has 17 touchdown strikes against six interceptions. He's also rushed for 323 yards and three touchdowns. He’s a true dual threat.

RB Desmond Reid

Deceptively powerful, he's rushed for 670 yards and four touchdowns and leads the Pitt ground game. He's averaging 5.7 yards per carry and has a long run of 72 yards. He's done it all on just 118 carries. The running game is basically Reid and Holstein, so if the quarterback is unable to go, Reid is going to get a workout.

WR Konata Mumpfield

The Panthers have other targets, Reid being one of them with 33 catches out of the backfield. There is potential for Kenny Johnson to have a big game, too. But it’s Mumpfield’s name Tigers fans are likely to hear the most. He has 35 receptions for 560 yards and three touchdowns, with a team-leading 16 yards per catch.