BLACKSBURG, Va. — Cade Klubnik starred for No. 19 Clemson, throwing three touchdown passes as the Tigers secured a 24-14 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday.
With this win, Clemson improved to 7-2 overall and 6-1 in the ACC, staying firmly in the hunt for a conference title following a recent loss to Louisville. The Tigers’ defense played a crucial role in the game, limiting Virginia Tech to just 228 total yards, a season low for the Hokies. This victory marks Clemson’s seventh consecutive win against Virginia Tech.
Kyron Drones led the Hokies (5-5, 3-3) with 115 passing yards but was benched in the fourth quarter as Virginia Tech fell behind 21-7. The Tigers found themselves trailing at halftime, with the score at 7-0, but came out strong in the second half, scoring touchdowns on three of their first four offensive drives.
Clemson’s scoring started with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Klubnik to Cole Turner, followed by a 41-yard connection to T.J. Moore that flipped the scoreboard in Clemson’s favor at 14-7. In the early going of the fourth quarter, Klubnik added a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Briningstool, solidifying the Tigers’ lead.
Klubnik completed 16 of 34 passes for 211 yards and contributed 30 yards on the ground. Running back Phil Mafah led the rushing attack for Clemson with 128 yards, contributing to the team’s total of 378 offensive yards. Meanwhile, Virginia Tech managed only a late 14-yard passing touchdown from Collin Schlee to Ayden Greene, finishing with a mere 40 rushing yards, well below their average of 201.4 yards per game.
As a result, the takeaway from the game indicates a notable rebound for Clemson after their last outing against Louisville. In contrast, Virginia Tech’s performance has been disappointing; the team returned 19 starters from last season but has struggled to find success and has yet to secure bowl eligibility as the regular season winds down.
Looking ahead, Clemson will take on Pittsburgh next Saturday, while Virginia Tech is set to face Duke on November 23.