Klubnik comes off bench, helps lead Clemson to comeback win over Syracuse

Klbunik led three scoring drives in his time on the field.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sat Oct 22 15:58:43 GMT-04:00 2022

CLEMSON – Another thriller in Death Valley against Syracuse, and another game where the backup quarterback helped seal the deal.

Cade Klubnik came off the bench in the third quarter and led three scoring drives, Will Shipley had a career-high 172 rushing yards, and the No. 5 Tigers overcame a 21-7 deficit to defeat No. 14 Syracuse 27-21 at Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon.

In 2018, after starter Trevor Lawrence left with an injury in the second quarter against the Orange, Chase Brice came off the bench to help save the Tigers’ season. It wasn’t injury that prompted the change Saturday – DJ Uiagalelei had thrown two interceptions and lost a fumble, and head coach Dabo Swinney went to Klubnik after the second interception and told Klubnik to warm up.

The freshman didn’t blink, and led the Tigers to the win. He was just 2-for-4 for 19 yards and ran it nine times for 16 yards but righted the ship when the Tigers needed it most down 21-10. Shipley had 27 carries for 172 yards as part of 242 all-purpose yards.

Clemson’s defense held Syracuse to just 45 yards in the second half until a last-gasp drive that ended with an interception.

Clemson improves to 8-0 overall and 6-0 in the ACC with two league games to play, while Syracuse falls to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in league play. Clemson is off next week, then travels to Notre Dame on Nov. 5th. The win was the 38th in a row at home for the Tigers.

"That was obviously a crazy game. Told the team after the game if it was easy, everybody would do it. To make history, to win 38 in a row, it should be hard," Swinney said. "You don't really set out to do something like that. You keep your head down and go to work and are in the moment. We had that opportunity today because of the '16, '17, '18, '19, '20, '21 teams. Had five total turnovers in seven games this season, and had four today. Especially proud of our offensive staff, especially Street, because we're moving the ball and going up and down on the field and you feel like you control the game and have five trips in plus-territory and don't get any points. Proud of them for hanging in there.

"Defensively, we gave up 14 ugly points early. Had right call on zone-read, and bust. Turned loose on wheel route. On the 3rd and 7, we have a spy, but are hesitant to go make the play. But they shut them out after that, not a point in the second half. It gave us a chance to fight back. The other real key defensively was they got no points off the other three turnovers when our defense went back out there.'

The Orange took the opening kickoff and marched down the field, but a weird set of downs saw Syracuse send the field goal unit out on fourth down, call a timeout, and then turn it over on downs after sending the offense back on the field.

The Tigers then took it down the field and scored on a one-yard run by Will Shipley for a 7-0 lead. Syracuse responded with another long drive, and Sean Tucker caught an easy 12-yard wheel route to tie the game at 7-7.

The Tigers once again moved it down the field, but the drive ended when Uiagalelei underthrew a receiver and was intercepted at the Syracuse 15-yard line. Following an Orange punt, the Tigers once again moved it into plus territory, but Uiagalelei was strip-sacked at the Syracuse 10 and Ja’Had Carter returned it 90 yards for the touchdown, making it 14-7 Orange.

Once again, the Tigers moved the football and had a third-and-two at the Orange 33, but Clemson elected to run Uiagalelei twice and he was stopped short on fourth down to turn it over on downs. Shrader and the Orange once again made the Tigers pay, with Shrader scoring from seven yards out to make it 21-7 Syracuse with just under two minutes to play.

Clemson drove down the field but had to settle for a 44-yard BT Potter field goal with seven seconds remaining, and Syracuse led 21-10 at intermission.

Clemson’s defense stood tall in the third quarter, but another deep Clemson possession ended on a Shipley fumble, and another drive ended with an interception where Uiagalelei missed a wide open receiver and overthrew it straight to the Syracuse safety.

Following the interception, head coach Dabo Swinney went over to Klubnik and told him to get warm. Klubnik led the Tigers down the field, and Mafah scored on a 4th-and-goal from the one with 13:46 remaining. The Tigers elected to go for two, but the conversion pass was intercepted in the endzone, and Syracuse led 21-16.

Following another Syracuse punt, the Tigers took over at midfield. On the second play of the possession, Shipley ran through a small hole in the line, bounced it outside, broke a tackle at the 23, and raced untouched the rest of the way for the touchdown. The Tigers once again went for two, and Klubnik was forced the pocket, but found enough room to throw a laser to Joseph Ngata in the back of the endzone. With 11:26 to play the Tigers led 24-21.

Late in the quarter, the Tigers added another 44-yard field goal from Potter, and the Tigers led 27-21 with 2:23 to play.

Syracuse drove to the Clemson 30, but Shrader was intercepted by RJ Mickens at the 15 with 15 seconds remaining to seal the win.