CLEMSON, SC – Cade Klubnik threw three touchdowns and added a 55-yard touchdown run as No. 21 Clemson continued its offensive comeback with a 59-35 victory over NC State in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener on Saturday.
Klubnik and the offense hit their stride two weeks ago when the Tigers (2-1, 1-0 ACC) scored touchdowns on all eight first-half possessions en route to a 66-20 win over Appalachian State.
That game was over just as quickly as Klubnik broke through a gap for a 55-yard touchdown run, the longest touchdown run by a Clemson QB since Trevor Lawrence’s 67-yard run against Ohio State in 2019.
Klubnik followed with touchdown throws of 31 and 2 yards to Antonio Williams. When Phil Mafah ran in a 38-yard touchdown a short time later, Clemson led 28-0 with two minutes left in the first quarter.
NC State (2-2, 0-1) could not respond and lost its 10th consecutive game in Death Valley.
Klubnik finished the game completing 16 of 24 passes for 209 yards and came to the sideline after his final 4-yard touchdown throw to Adam Randall at the start of the third quarter.
Mafah rushed for 107 yards, his second consecutive game over the 100-yard mark.
That was the most points scored in an ACC game since Clemson’s 62-17 victory over Virginia in the league championship game five years ago. The win was also the 800th in program history for Clemson, the 14th FBS team to reach that number and the first ACC school to do so.
The Tigers hope to have many more wins this season, especially with such a strong offense.
Cole Turner and Jay Haynes scored more rushing touchdowns in the second quarter, giving Clemson a 45-7 lead at halftime and continuing to gain ground from there.
NC State’s CJ Bailey, a 6-foot-6 freshman starting his first game in place of injured quarterback Grayson McCall, withstood Clemson’s tremendous pressure as best he could, throwing for 204 yards and a touchdown but also losing a fumble and allowing a 53-yard pick-six interception by cornerback Ashton Hampton that gave Clemson a 59-14 lead in the third quarter.
The Wolfpack scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter – all against Clemson’s reserves – to make things closer, finishing the game with 440 yards, including 210 in the final quarter.
NC State: The Wolfpack must examine themselves. They began the season as a ranked ACC contender but have been beaten twice by Power Four teams after losing 51-10 to No. 6 Tennessee two weeks ago.
Clemson: The Tigers appear to have put their opening-game loss to No. 2 Georgia (34-3) behind them and are now chasing an ACC title and a possible College Football Playoff berth. It’s been a strong start.
Clemson’s starting defensive end Peter Woods and receiver Tyler Brown did not play against the Wolfpack. Woods, who had the most tackles for loss on the Tigers entering the week, was injured two weeks ago on a chop block against Appalachian State. Brown, who was the team’s top receiver as a freshman last year, is battling an ankle injury.
NC State returns home on Saturday to play No. 23 Northern Illinois.
Clemson concludes a three-game home series against Stanford on Saturday night.
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