CHAPEL HILL: Both teams had two weeks to prepare. Only one looked prepared.
Clemson hit North Carolina in the mouth with a trick play to open the game, a 75-yard touchdown pass, in a 38-10 win at Kenan Stadium for their first ACC win of the season. In their first visit to UNC since 2019, the Tigers sent most of the less than capacity crowd to the exits, and to the basketball scrimmage, with a 35 point first half.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik hit on 21 of 23 first half passes for 251 yards and four touchdowns against the knife through butter-like Tar Heel defense. But it was Antonio Williams who had the first strike.
On the game’s first play from the Clemson 25, Williams received a behind the line pass from Klubnik as if he were going to run around the corner. But he stopped and fired a dime to a wide open TJ Moore for a 75-yard score, the longest play of the season for the Tigers.
After North Carolina answered with a field goal drive, Klubnik threw the first of his four first half touchdown passes. He hit Adam Randall for 35 yards out of the backfield. He followed with touchdown passes of 23 yards to Randall, and 45 yards and 3 yards to Christian Bentancur.
Clemson rolled up 367 yards in the first half. Meantime, the defense did it’s job. After allowing North Carolina to gain 58 yards on their first possession, the Tigers gave up just 20 yards the rest of the half. After the field goal, the Tar Heels punted on their final five possession of the half.
Final Stats
My View from Kenan Stadium
Clemson Postgame
Dabo Swinney
Cade Klubnik
Antonio Williams
TJ Moore
Thank God for the ACC. That North Carolina defense was pathetic, but I doubt Coach Daddy is going to fire his son the defensive coordinator.
Don’t let a blowout over this UNC team fool you. Tigers aren’t back. Not even close. They’ll have their way with most of the powderpuff ACC teams o schedule, get to a bowl, etc…
But after watching Miami and Florida State battle it out later that night, it is clear that not only are the Tigers not amongst the nation’s elite any more, they are no longer amongst the elite of the ACC.
And Dabo, you better go get a quarterback for next year. There’s not a big time qb in your program. I’m sure your current backup can get your team by UNC and the other weak ACC teams, but not Ga Tech, Miami, and Fla State, all of which have hit the portal for qbs and have separated themselves from your team.