TALLAHASSEE, Fla -- Phil Mafah ran for 154 yards, including a 59-yard gain in the fourth quarter to set up a late Clemson score as the No. 15 Tigers (4-1, 3-0 ACC) defeated Florida State (1-5, 1-4 ACC), 29-13, in Doak Campbell Stadium Saturday night.
The victory was the 174th career head coaching win for Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney, who broke College Football Hall of Famer Bobby Bowden’s conference record for career victories as an ACC head coach.
BECOME A SUBSCRIBER AT TIGERILLUSTRATED.com!
Quarterback Cade Klubnik finished 19-for-33 for 235 passing yards and a pair of first-half touchdowns and added 62 rushing yards on 11 carries. Wide receiver Antonio Williams tallied career-bests in receiving yards (84), rushing yards (36) and all-purpose yards (157). Freshman Nolan Hauser hit five field goals, becoming the first Clemson kicker to hit five in a game since Chandler Catanzaro in 2011.
Defensively, Barrett Carter and Wade Woodaz each had ten tackles to lead the Tigers, who forced six three-and-outs, recorded six tackles for loss, and recorded a first-quarter interception by Avieon Terrell, who also added 1.5 tackles for loss. Sophomore T.J. Parker also added 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Clemson also allowed just 22 rushing yards on 23 carries.
Clemson outgained Florida State 500-250, recorded 28 first downs to FSU’s 14, and did not turn the ball over in the contest, scoring on seven drives.
Clemson opened the scoring on its second possession with a 26-yard field goal by Hauser to cap a 12-play drive.
After forcing a second straight three-and-out, Clemson extended its lead to 10-0 when Klubnik found Williams, who made a leaping catch and bounced off of a Florida State defender on a 57-yard touchdown. The 57-yard reception was the second-longest of Williams’ career behind only a 59-yard touchdown catch in his first visit to Doak Campbell Stadium in 2022.
Florida State’s ensuing drive was halted by the first takeaway of the game, an interception by Terrell. Four plays later, Clemson added to its lead with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Klubnik to T.J. Moore, pushing the score to 17-0.
Florida State got on the board early in the second quarter, finishing an eight-play drive with Brock Glenn’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Amaree Williams, cutting Clemson’s lead to 17-7. Clemson looked to answer on its next possession, but Hauser’s 38-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Edwin Joseph.
Clemson pushed its lead to 20-7 on a 38-yard field goal by Hauser with 1:51 remaining in the half, and after another stop, Clemson rounded out the first-half scoring by capping a 12-play, 77-yard drive with a 25-yard Hauser field goal to push the halftime score to 23-7. Clemson held a 313-84 edge in total yards and a 20-4 advantage in first downs at halftime.
After the first three possessions of the third quarter resulted in punts, Clemson drove down the field on the quarter’s fourth possession, but Hauser’s 25-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Patrick Payton in the waning seconds of the third quarter.
Join Tigerillustrated.com subscribers on The West Zone message board!
Florida State opened the second-half scoring with Glenn’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Khi Douglas, cutting Clemson’s lead to 23-13 with 9:36 remaining in the game after failing to convert their two-point conversion attempt. Clemson responded quickly, as a 59-yard run by Mafah on the first play of the drive set up a 31-yard Hauser field goal to extend the lead to 26-13 with 6:38 remaining.
Clemson forced another three-and-out on Florida State’s next possession and cemented the 29-13 victory with a 25-yard Hauser field goal.
Clemson will be on the road again next week when it faces the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Saturday, Oct. 12. The contest will kick off at noon ET on ESPN. Clemson will return to Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19 against the Virginia Cavaliers.
***************************
