Clemson Tigers Quarterback 'On the Radar' For Heisman Trophy

Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik is keeping his name in the Heisman conversation

Sep 21, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) runs for a first down against North Carolina State Wolfpack linebacker Caden Fordham (10) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

After a slow start to the season, the Clemson Tigers are officially on a roll now, as they have won two straight games in which the team has been very impressive. 

Week 1 was an embarrassing loss for the Tigers as they lost by a score of 34-3 against the Georgia Bulldogs. The offense for Clemson looked overmatched in the game, and the defense got worn down trying to pick them up. 

The poor performance led to a lot of questions regarding Cade Klubnik, Dabo Swinney, and the whole program. However, the team answered the questions in a big way with their two recent wins. 

Starting off against Appalachian State Mountaineers, the junior quarterback and the offense exploded for 66 points. The right-hander had his best performance of his career, as he totaled 378 passing yards and five touchdown passes in the win. 

Since that was just one game, there was a lot of pressure on the team in Week 4 to showcase what they could do against rival North Carolina State. The Tigers exceeded expectations in that one, as they basically won the game in the first quarter with a 28-0 frame. 

In the convincing 59-35 victory, Klubnik set the tone with his legs actually, as he ripped off a 55-yard touchdown run. In addition to the nice game on the ground, Klubnik also had another good performance throwing the ball, as he totaled 209 passing yards and three passing touchdowns in the blowout win. 

Back-to-back strong games for Klubnik recently landed him in the ‘On-the-radar’ section of David Kenyon’s Heisman rankings. 

The junior certainly deserves to be in the conversation after the last two weeks, as 11 touchdowns in the air and on the ground are some ridiculous numbers in that span. While the game against the Bulldogs will hold some weight in his case to win a Heisman, a bad game in Week 1 can be forgotten as the season continues on. 

Next up for Clemson will be a matchup against the Stanford Cardinal, as they will be trying to avoid what happened to the Syracuse Orange last week. Considering how well Klubnik is playing, there is a lot to like about the Tigers moving forward in the ACC. 

Even though there might be some very good and talented players ahead of him in the Heisman rankings, Klubnik can continue to take a slow and steady approach to build his case.