Clemson Runs Away from Demon Deacons

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Wake Forest became the first team this year to score on No. 10 Clemson in the first quarter.

However, the Tigers scored 42 combined points in the second and third quarter, as they ran away from the Demon Deacons 49-14 Saturday at Allegacy Stadium.

Clemson (5-1, 4-0 ACC) got three touchdown passes from quarterback Cade Klubnik and two rushing touchdowns from Phil Mafah, as the offense tallied 566 yards overall.

The Tigers have won five straight games since losing to then No. 1 Georgia in the season opener.

Klubnik finished his afternoon 31 of 41 for 309 yards and three touchdowns. He ran seven times for 30 yards. Mafah finished with 108 yards on 19 carries.

Decisive Quarter

After Wake Forest (2-4, 1-2 ACC) grabbed a 7-0 lead on Hank Bachmeier’s 31-yard TD pass to Horatio Fields in the first quarter, Clemson scored 28 second quarter points to gain control of the game.

Klubnik threw a 22-yard TD to Antonio Williams, while Mafah had touchdowns of 1 and 2 yards. Troy Stellato later caught an 8-yard TD pass from Klubnik, as the Tigers led 28-14 at halftime.

With their 28-point second quarter, the Tigers have now produced at least three individual quarters of 28 or more points in a single season for the third time in school history. Clemson scored 35 points in quarter one vs. App State and 28 points in the first quarter vs. NC State.

The other two times Clemson produced three 28 or more points in a quarter three times in a season came in 2020 and in 2012 (four).

Trick Play

Clemson pulled out the old double-pass in the third quarter, as Klubnik threw a backwards pass to Williams, who then threw a perfect 28-yard pass for a TD to tight end Jake Briningstool.

The Clemson tight end caught seven passes for 104 yards to go along with his TD.

Stingy Defense

After giving up 195 yards and 14 points in the first half, the Clemson defense allowed 38 yards and 0 points in the second half. It was the best second-half performance by the defense this year.

Record Win

With the win, Clemson upped its win streak on Wake Forest to 16 in a row. The 16 straight wins is the longest in the series for either team. All 16 wins have come under Dabo Swinney.

The Tigers’ head coach is the first FBS head coach in Stats Perform’s data set back to 1996 to win his first 16 games against a single FBS opponent.

He is now 11-0 vs. Wake head coach Dave Clawson, the only coach Swinney has defeated 11 times.

Dominating North Carolina

Swinney is 41-5 all-time against teams from the state of North Carolina, including a 3-0 mark this season.

Injuries

Before the game, Clemson wide receiver Bryant Wesco was not listed on the availability list for the Wake Game. Fellow receiver Tyle Brown did not play either, though he was dressed.

Offensive linemen Collin Saddler missed his fourth straight game with an injury, while defensive tackle Stephiylan Green also missed the game.

Up Next

Clemson returns home next Saturday (noon, ABC) to play Virginia in a reunion with Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott, who played and coached at Clemson.