Clemson fans have seen some legendary moments over the years, but this one? This was different. This was the kind of moment that turns a freshman kicker into a legend. A cold December night in Charlotte, North Carolina, an ACC Championship on the line and a true freshman with ice in his veins.
Enter Nolan Hauser.
With just nine seconds left in regulation, Clemson and SMU were deadlocked at 31-31. Adam Randall’s 41-yard kickoff return gave the Tigers one last chance, and Cade Klubnik wasted no time, firing a 17-yard strike to Antonio Williams.
The ball was now at the SMU 38-yard line. Three seconds left. One play left. And all eyes on Hauser.
Despite Clemson leading the nation in blocked kicks allowed, head coach Dabo Swinney didn’t flinch. He sent his freshman kicker out for a career-long attempt under the brightest lights.
The stakes?
An ACC title and a trip to the College Football Playoff.
What happened next is the stuff of legend.
Before lining up for the biggest kick of his life, Hauser turned to the sideline and gave Swinney a wink. A true freshman, in the biggest pressure moment imaginable, radiated confidence before delivering a moment that will be replayed for years to come.
With the Clemson faithful holding their breath, Hauser’s kick sailed through the cold Charlotte air and split the uprights as time expired. Pandemonium. The sideline erupted. Fans in orange and purple lost their minds.
“I just went out there and hit it,” Hauser said after the game, cool as ever.
That kick wasn’t just a game-winner — it was the longest game-winning field goal in Clemson history. And it came from a true freshman who had already overcome five blocked kicks during the season. Earlier in the game, Hauser had missed a 44-yard attempt. But when the moment came, he didn’t flinch.
For Hauser, it was personal. Growing up just 20 miles north of Bank of America Stadium in Cornelius, North Carolina, he had dreamt of playing in this stadium. With friends and family in the stands, he delivered a memory that will last forever.
His teammates never doubted him, either.
“There was never a doubt in my mind that he was going to make that kick,” linebacker Sammy Brown said.
Klubnik echoed that sentiment, calling Hauser “humble, but confident” and the kind of kicker every team wants in the clutch.
For Hauser, that confidence is second nature.
“There’s no point in playing a sport and going out there and being nervous,” Hauser said. “You’re doing this for fun, and you’re doing it because you love it. Having that confidence, having that swagger — you’ve got to have it. In those big moments, that pays off.”
Hauser’s moment of glory not only gave Clemson its ninth ACC Championship in the last 13 years, but it also marked the Tigers’ return to the College Football Playoff for the first time in four years.
It was the perfect mix of drama, swagger, and history — making it the undisputed Best Sporting Moment of the year for Clemson.
And it was a full-circle moment for Clemson football. Special teams had been the Achilles’ heel of this team.
Missed kicks had cost them games. But now? Now, a kicker had saved the season.
Hauser’s 56-yard dagger didn’t just win a championship — it brought Clemson back to where it belongs.
From the clutch kick to the unforgettable wink, Nolan Hauser gave Clemson fans a night they’ll never forget. For that, he’s now a legend in Death Valley.
