Clemson entered Saturday’s showdown at Kenan Memorial Stadium with its back against the wall, sitting at 1-3 overall and still searching for answers in ACC play. Their opponent, North Carolina, stood at 2-2 and was looking to open up league action with a statement win of its own.
The matchup had more than just conference implications. On one sideline stood Dabo Swinney, a two-time national championship coach. On the other, the legendary Bill Belichick, who traded in his six Super Bowl rings for a headset in Chapel Hill. It was a rare historical collision, marking just the second time ever that a coach with multiple FBS national titles faced one with multiple Super Bowl championships. The only other meeting like it came back in 1993, when Bill Walsh and Stanford squared off against Joe Paterno and Penn State in the Blockbuster Bowl.
Both teams had two weeks to prepare following a bye, but only one looked ready. From the opening kickoff, Clemson took control and never looked back, blowing past the Tar Heels 38-10 in front of a stunned Chapel Hill crowd.
Tigers Explode in the First Quarter
North Carolina won the toss and deferred, giving Clemson its first opening possession of the season. The Tigers made it count and fast. On the very first play, Cade Klubnik fired a short pass to Antonio Williams, who pulled off a double pass downfield to TJ Moore. Moore raced 75 yards to the end zone, and just seconds into the game, Clemson had a 7-0 lead.
North Carolina responded with a 10-play, 58-yard drive, but Clemson’s defense stood tall on 3rd-and-1, forcing a field goal to make it 7-3.
From there, the Tigers poured it on. Klubnik connected with Bryant Wesco Jr. for a 36-yard strike, then followed it up with a short checkdown to Adam Randall, who weaved his way 35 yards for a touchdown. Suddenly, it was 14-3.
The Clemson defense forced UNC’s first three-and-out, and Klubnik wasted no time finding Christian Bentancur for a 45-yard touchdown, his first career score. Just like that, Clemson was up 21-3.
The fireworks weren’t done. After another stop, Swinney dialed up some creativity, lining defensive lineman Peter Woods up at running back to convert a 4th-and-1. On the very next play, Klubnik hit Randall on a wheel route for a 23-yard touchdown, his second of the day.
By the end of the first quarter, Clemson had a season-high 28 points, more than they had scored in an entire game all season.
Defense Locks Down North Carolina in the Second Quarter
The second quarter began much like the first, with UNC unable to generate any momentum. Clemson’s defensive front dominated, highlighted by a sack from Stephiylan Green.
Meanwhile, the Tiger offense kept humming. Klubnik and Bentancur connected again, this time from eight yards out to extend the lead to 35-3.
The only thing that slowed Clemson down were penalties. On one drive, they even faced a daunting 1st-and-40, but the Tigers’ composure and creativity helped them navigate the setback. Even when they didn’t score, they flipped the field, Nolan Hauser executed a perfectly placed pooch kick to pin UNC deep.
Clemson took a commanding 35-3 lead into the locker room, riding a nearly flawless first half.
Halftime stats told the story:
Clemson piled up 367 yards (326 passing, 41 rushing).
Klubnik was nearly perfect, completing 21 of 23 passes for 251 yards and 4 TDs.
Randall had 65 yards and 2 TDs, while Moore had 108 yards and a score.
The defense held North Carolina to just 78 total yards.
Slower Second Half, Same Result
North Carolina opened the third quarter with their best drive of the game, a 13-play, 43-yard possession that chewed up over seven minutes. But the Tar Heels came away empty after missing a 50-yard field goal.
Clemson’s offense cooled off after halftime. Klubnik was sacked on a key 3rd down, and shortly after, backup quarterback Christopher Vizzina checked in. The Tigers ran clock and methodically moved the ball, but neither side lit up the scoreboard in the third quarter.
Finishing the Job in the Fourth
The Tigers finally added to their lead early in the fourth with a 27-yard field goal from Hauser, capping a 14-play, 55-yard drive. That pushed the margin to 38-3.
North Carolina managed to avoid a near blowout shutout with their lone touchdown of the day, an 11-yard run from Benjamin Hall, but that was the extent of their offense.
Clemson rotated in its third-string quarterback, Trent Pearman, who flashed with a 31-yard completion to Clark Sanderson before fumbling in the red zone. By then, though, the game was well in hand.
The Tigers closed out the 38-10 victory, improving to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the ACC.
Final Stats
Clemson
Total yards: 488 (399 pass, 89 rush)
Cade Klubnik: 22-24, 254 yards, 4 TDs
Adam Randall: 4 catches, 73 yards, 2 TDs; 30 rushing yards
TJ Moore: 5 catches, 108 yards, 1 TD
Christian Bentancur: 2 catches, 53 yards, 2 TDs
Tristian Smith: 3 catches, 29 yards saw more playing time in this game
Sammy Brown & Tyler Venables: 5 tackles each
North Carolina
Total yards: 270 (213 pass, 57 rush)
QB Max Johnson: 26-42, 213 yards
RB Benjamin Hall: 5 carries, 24 yards, 1 TD
WR Jordan Shipp: 5 catches, 41 yards
Game Takeaways
1. Clemson found its spark.
The Tigers’ offense finally looked alive, putting up 28 first-quarter points and 35 by halftime. Creativity, speed, and efficiency carried them through.
2. Cade Klubnik was dialed in.
Klubnik put together his best game of the season, completing 22 of 24 passes and tossing four touchdowns. He spread the ball around and looked in complete command.
3. The defense set the tone.
UNC had just 78 yards at halftime and never found rhythm. The front line got pressure, the linebackers closed gaps, and the secondary held its ground.
4. A much-needed win.
At 2-3 overall and 1-2 in ACC play, Clemson still has plenty of ground to make up, but this performance showed they can still be dangerous.
What’s Next
Clemson will look to build on this momentum when they hit the road again next week. The Tigers face Boston College in a primetime matchup at 7:30 p.m. on the ACC Network.
