Clemson Takes Frustrations Out on App State - Tigers score a modern record 56 points in the first half

CLEMSON — Clemson took out all of its frustration from last week’s loss to top-ranked Georgia on Appalachian State. And the Tigers did it in one quarter.

Behind four total touchdowns from quarterback Cade Klubnik, the 25th-ranked Tigers scored a record 35 points in the first quarter in route to a 66-20 victory over the Mountaineers Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.

Klubnik accounted for seven touchdowns overall, including five touchdown passes. He became the first ACC quarterback since Lamar Jackson in 2016 to throw for at least four touchdowns and run for two more in a football game.

The junior threw touchdown passes to freshmen Bryant Wesco and T.J. Moore, as well as one to Antonio Williams and two to tight end Jake Briningstool.

Klubnik finished the best game of his career by completing 24 of 26 passes for 378 yards. His 92.3 percent completion percentage was the third best performance all-time in Clemson history.

Also, Klubnik’s 379 passing yards were the most by a Clemson quarterback since DJ Uiagalelei’s 439-yard performance at Notre Dame in 2020. He was 13 yards shy of tying Trevor Lawrence’s record for passing yards in a half.

Lawrence threw for 391 first-half yards at Georgia Tech in 2020.

Clemson (1-1) scored on each of its first seven possessions of the game and led 56-13 at halftime. The Tigers 56 first-half points were a modern day Clemson record.

Klubnik found Wesco on the third play from scrimmage for a 76-yard touchdown and then hit the freshman again for a 56-yard pass that set up Klubnik’s first rushing touchdown of the night.

Wesco, in his first game in Death Valley, tallied three catches for 130 yards. Briningstool led the Tigers with seven catches for 100 yards. Moore, who also made his Death Valley debut, had a 33-yard touchdown reception from Klubnik and caught three passes overall for 44 yards.

Running back Phil Mafah had 118 yards on 10 carries, including an 83-yard touchdown jaunt.

In all, Clemson finished the night with 712 total yards, including 460 through the air. Seven total Tigers scored a touchdown.

Backup quarterback Christopher Vizzina added a 5-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter, while freshman kicker Nolan Hauser added a 36-yard field goal.

The Tigers will take next week off before playing ACC rival NC State on Sept. 21 at Memorial Stadium.