Clemson bounced back big time in week two against Appalachian State with a 66-20 win. From the start of the game, the Tigers dominated scoring 56 points before halftime. It was one of their best wins in the last few years. That performance perfectly responded to what happened in week one against Georgia. For it to come against a good program like App State is important too. It was a win that should give fans hope for what is to come from Clemson going forward. It also told us much about where this team is at heading into the early bye week.
The Offense Can Be Explosive
The biggest issue many fans have had with Clemson over the last few seasons has been the lack of explosive plays and playmakers, especially in the passing game. That problem looked to be fixed in this game. Against App State, the Tigers had five touchdown plays of 20 yards or more. One of which was an 83-yard touchdown run by Phil Mafah. The other four of these long touchdown plays were passes. The first one occurred three plays into the game when Cade Klubnik hit Bryant Wesco Jr on a 76-yard touchdown pass.
Getting Wesco involved early on in some big plays was huge. It was surprising how little he and TJ Moore were used in the game against Georgia. While they are true freshmen, the coaching staff brought these five-star prospects in for a reason. That reason was realized against the Mountaineers as Moore also had a 33-yard touchdown reception. He finished with three receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown. Wesco finished with 3 receptions also, for 130 yards and a touchdown.
It was an offensive performance Clemson has not had in years. That kind of game was sorely needed as a confidence booster for this unit. Now Klubnik and his offense need to build on that momentum moving forward in the season.
Cade Klubnik Can Ball
Klubnik looked like the quarterback many believed he could be when he arrived at Clemson. He looked the most poised he ever has in his college career thus far. From the first snap, Klubnik showed a higher level of confidence in both himself and his team. He made some great decisions throughout his time on the field. To make it even better he made those decisions quickly with no hesitation and was accurate with his throws. He looked like a completely different quarterback from how he showed up against Georgia.
Klubnik finished the game completing 24 of his 26 pass attempts for 378 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed for two touchdowns bringing his total to seven for the game. His completion percentage was 92% for the game, which was 30% more than against Georgia. All of this was only in the first half. Klubnik became the first ACC player with four or more passing touchdowns and two or more rushing touchdowns in a half since Lamar Jackson did it in 2016.
There have been many questions about whether Klubnik was truly good enough to compete at the highest level for the Tigers. This was a performance Klubnik needed to prove that he could be the quarterback to bring Clemson back to championship status. The next step is for him to do it consistently.
Clemson Doesn’t Lack Talent
The one thing Dabo Swinney repeats every time he is asked about his reluctance to use the transfer portal is that he is happy with who the Tigers have. Swinney proved that statement by having over 70 different players take the field throughout the game. Still, the Tigers looked as if they just outmatched the Mountaineers from start to finish. Of course, that is expected when a team like Clemson plays a team from the group of five.
App State typically has enough talent and fight to be competitive with anyone though. This felt like a statement from Swinney and his staff. The Clemson coaching staff wanted to show why they are so confident in their roster as currently constructed.
Clemson is Still a Contender
After the way Clemson lost to Georgia, the Tigers had to get a win that proved they were still a true playoff contender. This kind of win helps begin dispelling any doubts that they aren’t. App State is a team some believe could be a contender for the Group of Five spot in the new playoff format. Clemson completely dominated them from the jump. It is a great win to get before entering a bye week.
After the bye week, the Tigers have a chance to show they are still the standard bearers in the ACC. They take on a pre-season conference championship contender NC State, who are trying to find themselves after a bad loss to Tennessee. Clemson needs to build off of the performance against App State. Staying consistent on offense and continuing to be great on defense can help the Tigers get back to form sooner rather than later.
