Clemson Tigers Overcome Slow Start to Dominate Wake Forest Demon Deacons

A 28-point second quarter put the Clemson Tigers in control in their victory over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

Oct 12, 2024; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons linebacker Branson Combs (21) tries to stop Clemson Tigers tight end Jake Briningstool (9) during the first half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The No. 10 Clemson Tigers overcame a slow start against Wake Forest to claim a 49-14 victory over the Demon Deacons in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Saturday.

Clemson (5-1, 4-0 in ACC) extended its winning streak to five games and extended its undefeated streak over the Demon Deacons (2-4 1-2) under coach Dabo Swinney. Wake Forest had hoped to upset an AP Top 10 team for the first time in 78 years.

The Tigers return home with a share of the ACC lead to host Virginia next Saturday.

The numbers looked great for the Tigers by game’s end. Quarterback Cade Klubnik threw for 309 and three touchdowns, along with no interceptions. His top deep threat, Antonio Williams, caught six passes for 69 yards and a touchdown, while also throwing for a score on a trick play in the third quarter.

Tight end Jake Briningstool caught the touchdown on that trick play, as he finished with seven receptions for 104 yards and a score.

Running back Phil Mafah added 108 yards and two scores, with both of his touchdowns set up by two second-quarter Clemson interceptions of Wake Forest quarterback Hank Bachmeier.

But, for the first time since their season opener, the Tigers started slowly on offense. In fact, they went without a touchdown in the first quarter for the first time since that loss to the Georgia Bulldogs in Atlanta.

Wake Forest snagged the lead late in the first quarter as Bachmeier threw a 31-yard touchdown strike to a well-covered Horatio Fields.

The lead didn’t last long, as the Tigers blew the game open with 28 second-quarter points and the defense flexed its muscles with a pair of interceptions.

Klubnik authored a 78-yard scoring drive that answered Fields’ touchdown by connecting with Williams on a 22-yard pass that tied the game early in the second quarter.

From there, the big plays came fast. Clemson’s Kylon Griffin picked off Bachmeier by sliding underneath a route in the middle of the field for an interception. That led to the first of Mafah’s two straight touchdown runs.

On Wake Forest’s next drive, the Tigers’ Khalil Barnes picked off a deflected pass for an interception. Mafah scored on a short run at the other end to make it 21-7 Tigers.

The Demon Deacons cut the lead to 21-14 with 3:18 left in the second with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Bachmeier to Michael Frogge. But those good vibes were short-lived, too. Clemson answered on the next drive, as Klubnik connected with Troy Stellato for an 8-yard touchdown pass with 1:31 left.

Clemson’s defense shut out Wake Forest in the third quarter as Klubnik added a 9-yard touchdown pass to Adam Randall along with the Williams-Briningstool connection.

The Tigers were, notably, without their true freshman wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr., who did not make the trip. No reason was given before the game why he didn’t travel.