A display of offensive dominance from the No. 17 Clemson Tigers led the squad to a 51-14 victory over The Citadel Bulldogs tonight against the backdrop of a timelessly gorgeous Clemson sunset.
There are few things more beautiful to Tiger fans than a Saturday in Death Valley, but today’s game stands apart from the rest. Paying homage to the University’s rich military history, Military Appreciation Day is special for more than just the all-purple uniforms. Clemson welcomed dozens of the nation’s heroes — spanning across decades and celestial bodies from the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, to tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, all the way to the moon – onto the field in a tribute to their dedication and service.
In recent years, the purple threads have provided some of the most iconic moments of the regular season. In 2022, Will Shipley’s hurdle over a Louisville player for a 25-yard touchdown made national headlines, and, in 2023, Tyler Brown’s one-handed grab in the end zone against Georgia Tech became a top 10 Sports Center moment.
This year proved no different, thanks to defensive tackle Payton Page. With three minutes left in the first quarter, the 6-foot-4, 310-pound big man put up an impressive vertical jump to intercept Bulldog quarterback Johnathan Bennett and returned the ball 57 yards for the Tigers‘ second touchdown of the day.
This marked Page’s first career interception and his first pick six. With the score, he extended Clemson’s now 15-year streak of multiple defensive touchdowns in a season — the longest active streak in the nation.
“The accolades mean a lot to me,” Page said following the game. “I’m just blessed.”
His teammates were ecstatic for him, but Page said he didn’t celebrate with them.
“I was tired, man. I was tired. But we celebrated after.”
Head coach Dabo Swinney could not be more proud of his player, especially after watching him develop the last four years. After entering fall camp at over 400 pounds his freshman year, he has dropped to 310.
“He could not have done that freshman year – he would still be out there,” Swinney joked. “He’s changed his life for the long-term, he’s very disciplined with his body.”
“He’s become a great leader, and he’s not a guy I thought would be a leader, I was just trying to get him to buy into the team. It’s definitely a storybook ending.”
Linebacker Barrett Carter scored as well, though his did not count on the defensive side of the ball. With the Tigers at fourth-and-2 on the Bulldogs‘ 4-yard line, Carter lined up in the backfield behind Page and Peter Woods. After a quick handoff from second-string quarterback Christopher Vizzina, Carter rushed up the middle for his first touchdown on either side of the ball as he nears the end of his Clemson career.
“I told Coach Swinney when I decided to come back that I need an offensive touchdown,” he said. “I’ve been telling Coach Riley too, ever since he got here, I can play running back.”
Page and Carter are more familiar with stopping touchdowns than scoring them, making their Senior Day victory that much sweeter.
Speaking of scoring, Cade Klubnik achieved an impressive milestone tonight with his three-touchdown performance — his last connection with Antonio Williams early in the third quarter marked his 50th career touchdown, placing him in the company of Tahj Boyd, Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence as the fourth Clemson quarterback to reach that benchmark.
The combination of defensive prowess and offensive authority meant that the only senior who did not see the field was punter Aidan Swanson, as this was the first game since 2014 where the Tigers did not punt. Every other senior saw the field at some point barring injuries, which was a goal of Swinney’s going into the game.
The Tigers are back in action next weekend, when they take on No. 18 South Carolina in Death Valley at noon with hopes of keeping the Palmetto Trophy where it belongs.
