Clemson Tigers Star Has Historic Performance vs. Appalachian State

A Clemson Tigers star accomplished something no one else has in at least the last 25 years.

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik with media during a press conference at the Smart Family Media Center in Clemson, S.C. Wednesday, September 4, 2024. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

The entire college football world was down on the Clemson Tigers after their season-opening loss to the Georgia Bulldogs.

They were embarrassed in Week 1, losing 34-3. Criticisms rained down from every analyst and college football fan in the country, questioning if Dabo Swinney and his team had what it took to be any sort of contenders in 2024.

That tune is certainly going to change.

In a Week 2 matchup at home against the Appalachian State Mountaineers, the Tigers quieted a lot of their critics. It was a dominant performance, as they won 66-20 with some history being made along the way.

Leading the way was quarterback Cade Klubnik. An offense that has been stuck in the mud for years exploded scoring touchdowns on their first eight possessions of the game.

In the first quarter alone, Klubnik went 11-of-11, throwing for 233 yards and three touchdowns. He hit Bryant Wesco for a 76-yard bomb on the opening drive to get things going through the air.

On the second drive, he ran in a two-yard score. Drive three was capped off by Phil Mafah, who broke through for an 83-yard touchdown run. Already up 21-0, Klubnik was just getting started.

He would throw two more touchdown passes in the first quarter. A 41-yard strike to tight end Jake Briningstool was followed up by a 29-yarder to Antonio Williams, staking Clemson to a 35-0 lead with 1:11 remaining in the opening frame.

That is the most points the Tigers have ever scored in the first quarter of a game and tied the program record for points scored in any quarter. They scored 35 points in a quarter three previous times; against Wake Forest in 1981, North Carolina in 2011 and Georgia Tech in 2020.

The former five-star prospect would finish the game completing 24-of-26 passes for 378 yards and five touchdowns. He added two more scores on the ground for one of the best performances in recent college football history.

As shared by ESPN Stats and Information, via Steve Holley of Clemson Wire, Klubnik’s performance was one of the ages. He is the first player in the FBS level with 5+ passing touchdowns, 2+ rushing touchdowns a completion percentage of at least 90 percent in the last 25 years.

That is certainly one way to break out of a slump. It could not have come at a better time for the Tigers, who have a bye before hosting NC State on September 21st. They will be facing a motivated Wolfpack team that got massacred by the Tennessee Volunteers 51-10 in Week 2.