Cade Klubnik threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns and Phil Mafah ran for 154 yards on 25 carries to lead Clemson to a 29-13 victory over Florida State on Saturday night in Tallahassee, Fla.
The No. 15-ranked Tigers (4-1, 3-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference) defeated the Seminoles (1-5, 1-4) for the eighth time in the past nine meetings and fourth consecutive time at Florida State.
The score did not match how lopsided the game was in terms of yardage as Clemson doubled the Seminoles’ output of total yardage 500-250.
Florida State quarterback Brock Glenn made his first start of the season in relief of injured starter DJ Uiagalelei. Glenn completed 23 of 41 passes for 228 yards and threw two touchdown passes and an interception.
But Glenn didn’t sustain much offensive rhythm and the Seminoles’ offense failed to take advantage of numerous opportunities with multiple dropped passes.
Clemson jumped all over Florida State in the first quarter, scoring the game’s first 17 points thanks to big plays from Klubnik, who replaced Uiagalelei as the Tigers’ starter when the latter was still enrolled at Clemson.
One of those big chunk plays for Clemson came when Klubnik found Antonio Williams for a 57-yard touchdown with 3:20 left in the first. Klubnik hit T.J. Moore for a 23-yard touchdown pass with two seconds left in the opening quarter.
The Tigers also made sure to keep Florida State’s offense one-dimensional as it completely contained the Seminoles’ running game and held them to only 22 yards on the ground.
It was the complete opposite story for Clemson as Mafah led a rushing attack that amassed 265 yards on the ground.
Klubnik completed 19 of 33 passes and also ran for 62 yards on 11 carries.
Glenn cut the Seminoles’ deficit to 23-13 with 9:36 left in the fourth with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Khi Douglas. But on the ensuing drive, Mafah broke loose for a 59-yard run, which set up a Nolan Hauser 31-yard field goal. Hauser made five field goals but had two others blocked.
–Field Level Media
