Clemson Tigers Star Still 'On the Radar' for Heisman Trophy Despite Rough Start

Despite a rough showing last week, the Clemson Tigers may have a star with an outside possibility at the Heisman Trophy.

Nov 2, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) runs against Louisville Cardinals linebacker Stanquan Clark (6) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images / Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers did not put their best foot forward last Saturday in their matchup against the Louisville Cardinals, and that goes double for superstar junior quarterback Cade Klubnik.

The junior entered the week on a collision course to potentially crash the festivities in December and end the year as a Heisman Trophy finalist with what he was doing on the field every Saturday.

He was showing a massive turnaround from the struggles that plagued the quarterback for the majority of last season and had people believing that he was the next-best quarterback product in a long string of talent under head coach Dabo Swinney.

While that could have all changed on Saturday, David Kenyon of Bleacher Report still has Klubnik listed as an "on the radar" Heisman Trophy candidate, though Kenyon does now question if that is too high of a ranking for the junior.

"This is arguably too high for Klubnik, who really struggled in the upset loss to Louisville. He averaged just 4.1 yards per throw on 56 attempts," writes Kenyon, "Clemson still has a path to the College Football Playoff, so he shouldn't be eliminated quite yet. Anything less than dominance against Virginia Tech and Pitt during the next two weeks will drop Klubnik off the Heisman radar, though."

Dominant play down the stretch would work wonders for Klubnik's chances at the Heisman Trophy, though it is still highly likely that his best finish be as a finalist instead of the winner.

After dominating for six straight games, Klubnik regressed on Saturday against the best competition the Tigers had faced since the Georgia Bulldogs in Week One.

Klubnik threw for 228 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions on 33 of 56 passing, while adding 43 yards on the ground with no touchdowns on 12 attempts.

While it was better than his showing against the Bulldogs, the performance still pales in comparison to the average marks of 282 yards with three touchdowns and 0.3 interceptions on 21 of 32 passing, though he was still able to do what he normally does with his legs.

It will be interesting to see how the quarterback responds to the first adversity that he has faced in quite some time, but if week one is any indication, we may see another extended streak of dominance.

Regardless of how Clemson and Klubnik finish the remainder of their schedule, they must still keep their heads held high throughout the offseason including their bowl game, to be ready to make their mark in 2025.