Second-Quarter Surge Powers Clemson to Dominant 49-14 Win Over Wake Forest
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - No. 10 Clemson (5-1, 4-0 ACC) scored 28 points in the second quarter fueled by a pair of interceptions to pull away from Wake Forest (2-4, 1-2 ACC) for a 49-14 win at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium.
Junior quarterback Cade Klubnik completed 31-for-41 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns. Phil Mafah ran for 108 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and tight end Jake Briningstool hauled in seven catches for 104 yards and a score.
Additionally, Antonio Williams became the first Tiger since C.J. Spiller in 2009 to throw and catch a touchdown in a game, hauling in a 22-yarder from Klubnik in the second quarter and hitting Briningstool on a 28-yard double pass in the third quarter.
Defensively, Wade Woodaz posted six tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack to lead the Tigers as Clemson forced three three-and-outs, a turnover on downs and interceptions by Kylon Griffin and Khalil Barnes. Barrett Carter added five tackles (1.5 for loss) and a sack.
The Tigers rolled up 566 yards of offense and 37 first downs —third-most in school history — and held possession for a season-best 36:29 while holding Wake Forest to just 233 yards of offense and 16 first downs.
Wake Forest opened the scoring on the game’s fifth possession, when quarterback Hank Bachmeier found Horatio Fields for a 31-yard touchdown late in the first quarter. The touchdown represented the first points surrendered by Clemson in a first quarter this season.
Clemson responded on its ensuing possession, as Klubnik connected with Williams for a 22-yard touchdown early in the second quarter, tying the game at 7-7. Griffin intercepted Bachmeier on Wake Forest’s next possession, and Clemson extended its lead to 14-7 two plays later on a one-yard touchdown run by Mafah.
After recording its second takeaway when Barnes intercepted a deflected Bachmeier pass, Clemson pushed its lead to 21-7 when Mafah followed defensive linemen DeMonte Capehart and Peter Woods for a two-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal with 6:36 remaining in the first half. On the next possession, Wake Forest capped an eight-play drive with a Bachmeier six-yard touchdown pass to Michael Frogge to cut the lead back to 21-14.
Klubnik led Clemson on a six-play, 75-yard drive that took 1:47 off the clock, which ended with the Tiger signal-caller finding Troy Stellato for an eight-yard touchdown, pushing Clemson’s lead to 28-14. Clemson would carry that 14-point lead into halftime.
Clemson carried its momentum into the second half, ending a 10-play, 75-yard drive with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Klubnik to Adam Randall. The drive included a key 14-yard completion to Jake Bringinstool on third-and-9, the 100th catch of his career, making Briningstool the second tight end in Clemson history to reach 100 career receptions (Jordan Leggett, 112).
After forcing a three-and-out on Wake Forest’s next drive, Clemson extended its lead to 42-14, as Antonio Williams connected through the air with Briningstool for a 28-yard touchdown on a double pass. Williams' touchdown pass to Briningstool was the first Clemson touchdown pass by a non-quarterback since Will Shipley's two-yard touchdown pass to Davis Allen against Wake Forest in 2021.
Clemson pushed its lead to 49-14 with 8:55 remaining in the fourth quarter, finishing a 17-play, 87-yard drive that featured 12 runs with a four-yard touchdown run by Keith Adams Jr., the first of his career.
Clemson will return to Memorial Stadium next week when the Tigers host the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday, Oct. 19. That game is slated to kick off at noon ET on ACC Network.