Hauser’s Kick in Charlotte Sends Klubnik Back to Austin for Playoff Showdown
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In the moments after his 56-yard, game-winning field goal sailed through the uprights, Clemson kicker Nolan Hauser stood in front of a roaring crowd in Charlotte, less than 30 minutes from his hometown of Cornelius, North Carolina.
With the ACC Championship game tied at 31, Clemson called on Hauser to attempt a daunting 56-yard field goal as time expired. Under the bright lights of Bank of America Stadium, Hauser delivered, sending the Tigers to a dramatic 34-31 victory over SMU and securing their seventh College Football Playoff berth.
The freshman’s game-winning kick wasn’t just a personal milestone. It also set the stage for quarterback Cade Klubnik to return home. Klubnik, an Austin, Texas, native, will lead Clemson against No. 5 Texas on Dec. 21 in the first round of the playoff. For the junior, the matchup will be played just miles from where he starred at Westlake High School, one of the state’s most renowned high school football programs.
Clemson’s journey to the playoffs wasn’t without drama. Leading 24-7 at halftime, the Tigers saw SMU mount a furious second-half rally, capped by a game-tying touchdown with just 16 seconds left.
A strong kickoff return from wideout Adam Randall reignited Clemson’s chances. When SMU’s kickoff team left a gap, Randall seized it, returning the ball to Clemson’s 45-yard line with just nine seconds left.
“Adam got us down there, and that kickoff team got us down there. I mean, that was unbelievable,” Klubnik said. “I’m thinking we’re about to get the ball on the 25 with 16 seconds left, and we get it on the 45 with nine seconds left. So that was huge. I mean, that’s just massive.”
Klubnik didn’t waste the opportunity. His quick strike to Antonio Williams moved Clemson into field goal range with seconds to spare.
“We had a timeout. So we knew that they were going to be dropping out of there, and they’re not going to let up a touchdown,” Klubnik explained. “We just had to go get something, and Tone ran a great route and just kind of found him. Once he caught the ball, Coach was saying right before, ‘You can’t go score a touchdown. You’re going to run out of time. So get what you can and then get down.’ He’ll call the timeout and give ourselves the best chance, and that’s what we did.”
On the sideline, Klubnik prepared his mind for the possibility of overtime while Hauser embraced the moment, winking at the sideline before the kick.
“We got him (Hauser) down there, and everybody is on the sideline watching. Honestly, I’m sitting on the bench by myself,” Klubnik said. “I’m just trying to visualize and see how overtime’s going to go. Because, I mean, you’re hoping that he makes it, but you don’t want to put all your hope into it.”
That chance belonged to Hauser, who stepped up with the game on the line and drilled the 56-yard field goal to win the game.
“At that point, I really just kind of put my head down, or maybe up, and just kind of listened to the crowd—heard the crowd roaring behind us, and I knew we made it,” Klubnik said. “I just, I couldn’t believe it. I could not believe it. It was unbelievable.”
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For Hauser, the game-winning kick was a storybook moment near home. For Klubnik, it was a bridge to another homecoming—a chance to lead the Tigers in Austin, playing against Texas on the College Football Playoff stage.
Two hometown heroes, two different paths, and one unforgettable moment that brought Clemson fans another memory they will never forget.
