Klubnik Cracks National Outlet’s CFB Quarterback Power Rankings

A national outlet updated its college football quarterback power rankings following Week 2 of the season, and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik cracked the rankings this week coming off his stellar performance this past Saturday against App State.

Klubnik checked in at No. 9 in the latest CBS Sports CFB QB power rankings authored by Tom Fornelli.

Fornelli noted that he ranks the QBs based on the “juice” they have right now — “it’s a combination of how well you’re playing, what you have accomplished and what you might accomplish in the near future,” Fornelli wrote — and he also pointed out that he doesn’t rank any QB coming off a loss the previous week.

With that said, here’s what Fornelli wrote about Klubnik in the fresh set of QB power rankings:

I have never been shy about sharing my opinion of Klubnik. In short, I’m not particularly high on him. Still, even if he was shellacked by Georgia and played poorly, I won’t ignore the bounce-back performance. Klubnik picked himself up, dusted himself off and then dusted Appalachian State for 383 yards and seven (7!) touchdowns. I’m not buying in until he does it against the best competition, but I’m also not a monster.

Klubnik wasn’t ranked in the CBS Sports QB power rankings going into Week 2, but that obviously changed after he shined against App State in one of the most prolific and efficient QB performances in Clemson and ACC history.

Despite only playing the first half, he completed 24-of-26 passes for a career-high 378 yards and career-high five passing touchdowns in addition to scoring two rushing touchdowns. He exited the contest with a pass efficiency rating of 277.9, breaking Tajh Boyd’s single-game school record with a minimum of 20 attempts (261.9 vs. Syracuse in 2013).

Klubnik became the first Clemson quarterback to be responsible for seven combined passing and rushing touchdowns since Boyd’s ACC-record eight-touchdown performance against NC State in 2011. According to ESPN Stats & Info, he became the first FBS quarterback in the last 25 years with five or more passing touchdowns, multiple rushing touchdowns and a completion percentage of 90.0 percent or better in a game.

Klubnik’s performance earned him his first career ACC weekly honor, as he was named ACC Co-Quarterback of the Week , while he was also named among the Manning Award Stars of the Week and named to the Davey O’Brien Foundation’s Great 8 list for Week 2, in addition to being named the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Week and the Walter Camp Football Foundation National Offensive Player of the Week .

Klubnik and the Tigers have an open date this weekend before they return to action in Death Valley on Saturday, Sept. 21 for a noon ET kickoff against NC State.