Cade Klubnik threw two touchdown passes and the Clemson Tigers’ stifling defense showed up and showed out making a significant statement on Saturday in a dominant 31-14 victory, that was not even that close, against the previously unblemished Syracuse Orange.
The Tigers (3-2, 1-2 ACC) put a hat on Syracuse quarterback Garrett Shrader five times, intercepted him once, and forced three fumbles. They recovered two of those fumbles, the first of which came on the Orange’s opening series.
“We won the line of scrimmage,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “I mean, we did a heck of a job up front. I think we won the matchups up front and created some disruption and we challenged them. We forced the issue.”
On the first drive, Shrader used his wheels to create a 19-yard run but was hit hard and lost the ball. It was recovered by Clemson’s Payton Page at the Tigers’ 45-yard line. Clemson was initially called for a targeting penalty on the hit but after a review it was quickly overturned.
“I just saw it clean,” Swinney said. “And it looked worse than it was because (Shrader) didn’t see him coming. He’s not a defenseless player. He’s running the ball and he’s not sliding. He’s not a guy that slides. He’s a punishing runner. I know it looked worse than it was, but I thought it was a clean hit from the get-go.”
The overturned call set Clemson up for a 14-yard touchdown on a pass from Klubnik to Troy Stellato for the first score of the game.
“Troy made a great play and just kept playing,” Klubnik said. “He threw his hand up and I just kind of found him in the end zone and it was a great play by him, just kind of making it work.”
Clemson led by two touchdowns, 21-7 at the half.
The Orange (4-1, 0-1) came to within 10 points, 24-14, early in the final frame but a 32-yard rushing touchdown by Phil Mafah with just over six minutes remaining all but ended the game for the Tigers.
Klubnik completed 23 of 37 passes for 263 yards and two scores. Tyler Brown caught receptions for 151 yards and Will Shipley carried 17 times for 66 yards and a touchdown.
“When you’ve got a quarterback that can create and can throw on the run … just really proud of (Klubnik) for how he competed, and managed the game the whole day,” Swinney said. “Then obviously Tyler Brown. Just a tremendous, tremendous performance. I mean, he’s just gotten better and better each week. He plays hard without the ball and really has a good feel for the scramble drill.”
Shrader had an inefficient day, completing only 15 of 29 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns and ran for an additional 24 yards on 15 keepers. LeQuint Allen Jr. carried the ball 14 times for 56 yards. He also caught six balls for 38 yards and a touchdown.
Clemson: The Tiger’s will have to lean on their defense for another strong performance against Wake Forest next week. The Demon Deacons have a prolific offense, averaging 426 yards and 29 points per game.
Syracuse: Shrader and Allen, whose 12 combined rushing touchdowns led the nation heading into Saturday’s game, were held in check and out of the end zone.
Clemson and Syracuse have had some classic battles, going head-to-head 11 times since 2013. The Tigers have won 10 of those matchups, but six of those games have been decided by 10 points or less. That includes Clemson’s 27-21 victory in 2022.
SU’s only victory against the Tigers in the last decade came on October 13, 2017. Clemson was undefeated and ranked No. 2 in the country at the time, but the Orange took that game by a field goal, 27-24.
Clemson: The Tigers are home against Wake Forest on Saturday.
Syracuse: The Orange go to No. 15 University of North Carolina on Saturday.
