#Clemson lays waste to Wake Forest 49-14, runs win streak to five (AUDIO/VIDEO)

**Antonio Williams threw for a score and also caught a touchdown pass in the rout (Tigernet)**

WINSTON-SALEM: A large contingent of Clemson fans made the trek into North Carolina’s tobacco country to cheer on the Tigers against Wake Forest. It’s a serene drive, with plenty of bright foliage, roadside ponds and rolling hills to observe. The campus of Wake Forest provides a peaceful, idyllic fall setting for football. Supporters of both programs walked leisurely into the gates of Allegacy Stadium shoulder to shoulder, Saturday, many arriving just in time for kickoff. And then Clemson unleashed an unholy violence upon Wake Forest, clubbing the Demon Deacons 49-14 and piling up 566 yards of offense, in what Dabo Swinney described as the Tigers’ “best game in totality” this season.

Story by Nikki Hood

The Clemson train continued to roll Saturday afternoon at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium with its fifth straight win and 16^th consecutive win over Wake Forest.

The tenth ranked Tigers beat the Demon Deacons 49-14 to improve to 5-1 overall and 4-0 in the ACC. Wake Forest fell to 3-3 and 1-2.

Clemson’s offense with 566 total yards – with 343 yards through the air and 223 rushing yards. Wake Forest finished with just 223 yards of total offense.

Quarterback Cade Klubnik completed 31-of-41 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Phil Mafah led all carriers with 19 rushes for 108 yards and two touchdowns. Three players had more than 50 yards receiving: Jake Briningstool had seven catches for 104 yards; Troy Stellato had six for 72 yards and Antonio Williams added six for 69 yards. All three also scored touchdowns.

Since week one against Georgia, Clemson had outscored its opponents 90-0 in the first quarter, but it was the Demon Deacons who struck first. Aided by a pass interference call on Shelton Lewis, Wake Forest drove 73 yards in just eight plays. Horatio Fields caught a 31-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 Demon Deacon lead with 2:09 to play in the first quarter.

On its next drive, the Clemson offense finally found its rhythm. Klubnik hit Stellato for a 14-yard gain early in the drive and then came back to him as he was chased out of the pocket on third-and-long for a 19-yard pickup. Klubnik hit Antonio Williams for a 21-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 early in the second quarter.

Two plays later, Kylon Griffin picked off Bachmeier and returned it to the 23. Klubnik threaded a pass to Briningstool for a 22-yard pickup and Mafah took it the final yard for a 14-7 Clemson lead with 12:34 to play in the second quarter.

Once again Clemson’s defense got the ball back. This time it was Khalil Barnes with the interception off of a deflection. Clemson drove down to the two and on fourth down, the Tigers brought in the heavy package with Demonte Capehart and Peter Woods paving the way for Mafah to go to the endzone untouched for a 21-7 lead with 6:46 to play before halftime.

After turning it over on its previous two drives, Wake Forest put together a mistake free drive, including a 38-yard pass over the middle to Deuce Alexander down to the nine-yard line. Two plays later, Brachmeier found Michael Frogge on the right side for a six-yard touchdown to cut Clemson’s lead to 21-14 with just over three minutes to play before halftime.

Mafah imposed his will and ran over defenders on Clemson’s next drive, carrying the ball three times for 39 yards. Adam Randall made his return after suffering an injury earlier in the season with a catch for seven yards and Stellato scored Clemson’s fourth touchdown of the game on an eight-yard reception for a 28-14 lead with just over 90 seconds to play before halftime.

Randall – who broke his toe before the NC State game -made his return just before halftime and came back out after the half to score his second career touchdown on a nine-yard reception from Klubnik for a 35-14 Clemson lead.

After a three-and-out for the Demon Deacons, Clemson’s offense was back to work. Briningstool and Moore had pick-ups of 10 and 15 yards, respectively to set up a backwards pass to Williams who found a wide open Briningstool for a 28-yard touchdown and a 42-14 Tigers’ lead halfway through the third quarter.

Keith Adams, Jr. added a four-yard touchdown run to extend Clemson’s lead to 49-14 with 8:55 to play. Clemson returns to Death Valley next week to face off with former offensive coordinator Tony Elliott and Virginia at noon.