The Road Less Traveled: Klubnik and Nussmeier Show Staying Power in a Transfer Era

Tonight in Death Valley, the buses will come around the corner, the band will strike, and the Clemson Tigers will make their iconic run down the Hill. The lights, the sound, and the anticipation will make the moment feel larger than life—as it always does. But this time, it will be more than pageantry. It will be the setting for a rarity in modern college football: two veteran quarterbacks facing each other who stayed, developed, and became leaders of their programs without bolting for the transfer portal.

“Quarterbacks more than any other position transfer because they're afraid of sitting behind somebody,” longtime Clemson SID and Hall of Famer Tim Bourret said this week. “That’s just the way of the game now. And yet here you’ve got Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier—guys who stayed put, and now they’re leading two top-10 teams into a huge opener.”

The Transfer Era: Playing Time or Portal

The college football landscape has shifted dramatically in recent years. With the transfer rules and the rise of NIL, quarterbacks, especially, are on the move at unprecedented rates. In 2024, more than half of Power 5 starting quarterbacks had transferred at least once. For many, patience is no longer a virtue. If a QB isn’t starting, the portal beckons.

That’s what makes this Clemson-LSU matchup unique. Neither Klubnik nor Nussmeier followed the current script. They stayed, waited out depth charts, and grew within their respective systems. Now they’re being rewarded with the spotlight on the opening weekend with a Top-10 matchup in Death Valley. It’s almost go time! 

Cade Klubnik: Clemson’s Steady Hand

Klubnik enters his senior season as the face of Clemson football. His 2024 campaign cemented him as one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country: 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns, and just 6 interceptions—the best touchdown-to-interception ratio of any quarterback nationally who threw at least 30 TD passes.

But Klubnik’s value isn’t just in the numbers. He added 463 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns, giving Clemson a dual-threat element reminiscent of Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence before him. Bourret noted that Klubnik’s legs could be a critical factor against LSU, who struggled to contain running quarterbacks last season.

“We saw against Pittsburgh that that was the case,” Bourret said. “He’s been pretty good running the ball, especially on designed runs. It could be a factor in this game.”

Klubnik’s rise has been steady rather than flashy. He took over late in his freshman season, winning ACC Championship Game MVP, and hasn’t looked back. Now, as a senior leader on a Clemson roster loaded with talent at wide receiver—Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr., and T.J. Moore all return—Klubnik is the steadying force for a program that has a chance to return to the CFB Playoffs.

Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier leads the Bayou Bengals into tonight’s contest in Death Valley.

Garrett Nussmeier: Patience in Baton Rouge

On the other sideline is Nussmeier, who embodies something equally rare: patience. He sat behind Heisman winner Jayden Daniels at LSU, resisting the urge to leave when many in his position would have. His payoff? A 2024 season that saw him throw for over 4,000 yards, making him the only returning quarterback nationally to reach that milestone.

The difference in styles between the two quarterbacks is striking. Klubnik is the efficient surgeon; Nussmeier is the gunslinger. His 12 interceptions last year were double Klubnik’s total, something Bourret noted with a smile: “LSU fans probably think Nussmeier has thrown a few too many interceptions—he threw 12 last year, twice as many as Cade. But he’s also got that big-play ability that makes them dangerous.”

With LSU’s deep stable of wide receivers, Nussmeier has the weapons to challenge any defense. He’s got a quick release, but pressure in his face at the line of scrimmage can be an issue for him. For Clemson, if the Tigers fail to get pressure, that will put the spotlight squarely on a secondary led by Avieon Terrell and Khalil Barnes, ​​​​​​who has been battling a lingering hamstring injury.

Why This Matchup Matters

The Klubnik-Nussmeier showdown is more than a quarterback battle. It’s a reminder of what college football used to be—and what it has largely lost. Players once waited their turn, developed within programs, and created legacies. Now, roster churn is the norm, and stability is the exception.

For Clemson, Klubnik’s presence has been the throughline of stability. In a 2024 season that saw the Tigers go 10-4, win the ACC Championship, and reach the College Football Playoff, Klubnik was the constant. For LSU, Nussmeier is the proof that patience can pay off in a league that rarely allows it.

“Both of them are terrific,” Bourret said. “I think they’re both going to show improvement this year and have terrific years.”

The Lasting Image

When the lights come on in Death Valley and the Hill run electrifies the stadium, the night will carry all the usual emotions. But beyond the spectacle, this game offers something rare: two quarterbacks who stayed the course, now squaring off under the national spotlight.

In a sport where the portal rules the headlines, Klubnik vs. Nussmeier represents the road less traveled. At 7:52 PM tonight, they’ll show why staying put can still lead to the brightest stage in college football.