Clemson gets glimpse of bright future after Cade Klubnik sparks ACC Championship win

The Clemson Tigers got a preview of what quarterback Cade Klubnik could bring on a weekly basis after he replaced D.J Uiagalelei in the ACC Championship Game.

The Clemson Tigers looked to end their regular season on a high note with a win over the North Carolina Tar Heels in the ACC Championship Game on Saturday. While there were no College Football Playoff implications for this game, head coach Dabo Swinney wanted to do everything in his power to lead the program to another conference championship.

After the first two series of the game ended with three-and-outs and punting back to North Carolina, Swinney decided to bench quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei in favor of freshman Cade Klubnik. That turned out to be the smart move, as he had a nearly perfect first half, where football fans and media questioned why Swinney didn’t make this move earlier in the season.

Clemson walked out of Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. with a 39-10 victory and the ACC title. If this game showed anything, it’s that the program has a star in Klubnik.

Clemson has a star in the making in Cade Klubnik

The freshman couldn’t have asked for a better start, as he led the offense to three touchdowns on his first three drives. He showed off his arm talent, such as a 68-yard pass to Cole Turner drive No. 3. Klubnik also showed his running ability, as evidenced on the next play when he ran for a one-yard touchdown.

In the first half, Klubnik completed 10-of-11 throws for 149 yards and one touchdown, while running for a score. Overall, Klubnik threw for 279 yards while completing 20-of-24 pass attempts.

Klubnik was a highly touted quarterback prospect, as he was ranked No. 1 at his position and No. 6 overall in the entire country by 247Sports. Given that he was a five-star recruit, there were calls for Klubnik to take over as the starter. While that didn’t happen, there’s a strong likelihood that it will happen next year.

Clemson fans watched as Trevor Lawrence dazzled the national audience when he was their starting quarterback. Now, they could very well see another superstar in the making in Klubnik.

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