The Clemson Tigers defeated Appalachian State in their first home game of the season by a score of 66-20. These are the ups and downs of the game:
Paws up: Offensive surge
Clemson’s offense came out blazing, setting a school record for the most points ever scored in a first quarter and tying the record for the most points in any quarter. The Tigers stormed ahead with five touchdowns, racking up 35 points in just the first 15 minutes and securing a commanding early lead.
Just three plays and 74 seconds into the game, freshman wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. hauled in a 76-yard pass for his first touchdown in Death Valley. Wesco struck again with a 51-yard catch at the App State 2-yard line, setting up quarterback Cade Klubnik’s easy touchdown run.
The explosive offense continued with Phil Mafah’s 83-yard touchdown rush, and freshman TJ Moore capped off the half with a 33-yard trip into the end zone, bringing the Tigers to 525 yards of total offense by halftime.
Backup quarterback Christopher Vizzina added his own highlight with a 5-yard rushing touchdown. In the end, Clemson put up 66 points against Appalachian State, causing many fans to reminisce on the offensive success of years past.
Paws up: Cade’s arm confidence
After a tough outing against Georgia last week, Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik returned to the field with something to prove — and he delivered. By the end of the night, his stat line was one for the Clemson history books, completing 24 of 26 passes for 378 yards and five touchdowns. The Tigers capitalized on this success, scoring on every possession while he was under center.
On the Tigers’ first two drives, Klubnik connected on crucial passes to put points on the board — a 76-yarder to Wesco, 52 yards to set the team up inside the one, 14 yards to Jake Briningstool for a first down and another 33 to Moore. The confidence was apparent as the game continued, and Klubnik completed 378 passing yards.
Adding to the career night, Klubnik showed off his versatility with two rushing touchdowns, marking the first time he’s scored multiple rushing touchdowns in a single game. His command of the offense in both his arms and legs was clear, making this performance a statement that Cade Klubnik is more than capable of leading the Tigers to victory.
Paws up: Defensive powerhouse
As expected, the Clemson defense showed up to play, setting the tone early. The Tigers didn’t surrender a touchdown until the second quarter, making it clear that Clemson’s defense remains a dominant force. They held the Mountaineers to negative rushing yards in the first quarter and just 103 total rushing yards in the first half.
Clemson’s defense remained a powerhouse throughout the game, limiting App State to 149 rushing yards and 363 total yards overall. The Tigers also forced three turnovers to hand the momentum back to the offense.
Paws down: Sloppy penalties
While Saturday’s performance in Death Valley energized the Tigers, Clemson will need to clean up some of the sloppy penalties as they face tougher competition ahead. Certain fouls stalled promising drives and gave App State unnecessary opportunities. The Tigers racked up eight penalties for 85 yards, which could prove more damaging against other opponents.
If Clemson hopes to sustain their offensive surge and maintain momentum, they’ll need to sharpen their discipline and eliminate these mistakes, ensuring they don’t undermine their own success in critical matchups down the road.
This game marked Clemson’s 21st consecutive home-opening win. The Tigers have off this week and will be back in Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 21, to face the NC State Wolfpack.
