TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — It’s fitting Dabo Swinney broke the ACC’s all-time record for overall wins on the field where Bobby Bowden won so many games.
Swinney became the ACC’s all-time leader in wins thanks to No. 15 Clemson’s 29-13 victory Saturday over Florida State at Bobby Bowden Field. Swinney now was 174 career wins, one more than Bowden’s 173 from 1992-‘2009.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik threw for 235 yards and ran for 62 more, while accounting for two touchdowns. Freshman kicker Nolan Hauser also made field goals of 26, 38, 25, 31 yards and 24 yards.
Klubnik found wide receiver Antonio Williams for a 57-yard touchdown pass on the Tigers’ third possession of the night. On the second play of the drive, Klubnik went deep over the middle to find Williams, who bounced off two FSU players and then rumbled into the end zone for the game’s first touchdown with 3:20 to play in the first quarter.
The Williams’ TD gave the Tigers a 10-0 lead at the time.
After FSU quarterback Brock Glenn has his pass intercepted and returned to midfield by Clemson corner Avieon Terrell on the Seminoles ensuing possession, Klubnik threw a tunnel pass to freshman T.J. Moore, who got out in the open field and raced 23 yards for an easy TD.
The Moore TD gave the Tigers (4-1, 3-0 ACC) a 17-0 lead with two seconds to play in the first.
Glenn later bounced back to throw two TDs. One to Amaree Williams for 13 yards in the second quarter, and another one to Ja’Khi Douglas with 9:36 to play in the fourth quarter.
The Douglas touchdown pulled the ‘Noles (1-5, 1-4 ACC) within 23-13 at the time and gave them a little bit of hope for a comeback. However, the two-conversion try failed.
On Clemson’s next offensive play, running back Phil Mafah (25-154) broke off a 59-yard run that setup Hauser’s fourth field goal of the night, a 31-yard kick with 6:38 to play for a 26-13 lead.
Hauser’s final field goal (24 yards) with 1:56 to go sealed the win for the Tigers.
Making history
Clemson won its fourth straight game in Tallahassee. It is the first time the Tigers have won four consecutive games at Doak Campbell Stadium in the series.
The Tigers became just the fourth program ever to win four consecutive road games against Florida State in Tallahassee, joining Florida (six straight from 1966-76), Houston (four from 1966-78) and Miami (five from 1957-77 and four from 1981-87).
Stingy Quarter
Clemson outscored FSU 17-0 in the first quarter. The Tigers have now outscored their first five opponents 90-0 in the first quarter this year.
Only negative
Two of Hauser’s field goals were blocked. One was a 39-yard attempt in the third quarter and the other was a 25-yard field in the third quarter.
Injuries
Clemson defensive end Peter Woods returned to action Saturday night. He did not start the game, but he came into the game on the Seminoles’ third offensive possession of the night and played a good bit after for the remainder of the game.
Wide receiver Troy Stellato also returned to action after missing last week’s game.
The Tigers did receive a scare in the first quarter when Klubnik carried the ball on a scramble play, but instead of sliding, he took a hit that kept him down for a second. He had to leave the game for one play, but came back in on the next play.
Up Next
Clemson stays on the road and heads to Wake Forest for a noon kick next Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Demon Deacons rallied on Saturday to beat NC State in Raleigh, N.C.
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