Tigers too much for Stanford in dominant victory

Klubnik runs to daylight on the first drive of the game.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sep 28, 2024, 10:47 PM

CLEMSON – It was never pretty. But it was more than enough.

No. 15 Clemson scored 23 points in the second half and pulled away for a 40-14 victory over Stanford in Death Valley Saturday night. Clemson improves to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in ACC play, while the Cardinal fall to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the ACC.

Quarterback Cade Klubnik was 15-of-31 for 255 yards and four touchdowns (with one interception) and scored another touchdown on the ground. Phil Mafah had ten rushes for 58 yards, and Klubnik added 48 to lead the Tiger rushing attack.

Bryant Wesco, Jr., caught just two passes, but they covered 104 yards and included a touchdown. Both Barrett Carter and Wade Woodaz collected ten tackles, with Carter posting 3 1/2 tackles for loss.

Clemson travels to Tallahassee next weekend to take on Florida St. Kickoff is set for either 7 or 7:30 pm.

Stanford took the opening kickoff and, facing a 4th-and-1 at its own 34, elected to go for it. Justin Lamson appeared to get enough for the first down, but was stripped of the football by Wade Woodaz and the ball was recovered by a Stanford player short of the line to gain. Three plays later, Klubnik escaped the pocket and raced 34 yards untouched into the endzone for a 7-0 lead.

Stanford responded with a nine-play drive that reached the Clemson 7, but quarterback Ashton Daniels’ pass into the endzone was intercepted by Avieon Terrell for a touchback.

A 70-yard pass to Bryant Wesco set up a 20-yard field goal by Nolan Hauser that made it 10-0.

Stanford again drove down the field, gashing the Clemson defense with ease, and reached the Clemson 20. On first down, Daniels was flushed from the pocket and once again tossed a pass into the middle of several Clemson defense, and Jeadyn Lukus came down with the ball.

The offenses spent most of the second quarter floundering, but the Tigers finally found a rhythm late. Antonio Williams returned a punt 12 yards to the 46-yard line, and a 26-yard run by Phil Mafah helped overcome two drops and put the Tigers in the business at the Stanford five. One second-and-goal at the Stanford three-yard line, Klubnik rolled out and hit Jake Briningstool in the end zone for a 17-0 lead.

Stanford wasn’t done however, and this time a drive deep into Clemson territory ended with a 19-yard pass to Elic Ayomanor for the score and the Tigers led 17-7 at intermission.

A 12-play drive to open the second half ended with a 33-yard field goal by Hauser, and Clemson led 20-7.

Late in the third quarter, Stanford took over at its own 39 after a Clemson punt, and on the first play of the drive, Daniels rifled a pass that was intercepted by Wade Woodaz at the 43-yard line. The first play appeared to be a long pass to T.J. Moore that was caught at the Stanford 9-yard line, but a revew ruled the pass was incomplete. It didn’t matter – on the very next play, Klubnik lofted a pass into the endzone that was caught by Cole Turner for a touchdown and a 27-7 Clemson lead.

Early in the fourth quarter, Stanford faced a 3rd-and-1 at its own 34, but Lamson ran for no gain on third down, and Daniels was stopped for no gain on fourth down, turning the ball back over to the Clemson offense. On the ensuing play, Klubnik threw a dart to Wesco down the left sideline, and Wesco sidestepped two defenders and ran easily in for the score. The extra point was missed, and with just over 14 minutes to play, the Tigers led 33-7.

On Stanford’s next drive, Clemson linebacker Jamal Anderson got a hand on the Cardinal punt and it traveled just 18 yards to the Stanford 35. Five plays later, Klubnik found Olsen Patt-Henry in the back of the endzone for a two-yard scoring toss and a 40-7 Clemson advantage.

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