Cade Klubnik may need saved Clemson’s season.
The Tigers QB ran for a 50-yard TD with 1:16 to go to present No. 20 Clemson a 24-20 win over Pitt on Saturday.
Klubnik’s run got here on the third play of the drive after Pitt took a 20-17 lead with 1:36 to go. Klubnik discovered Antonio Williams for an 18-yard achieve earlier than a seven-yard completion to Jake Briningstool. Then he made the game-winning play on what he stated was a name for a QB draw with the receivers working stick routes.
Pitt nonetheless had loads of time and a timeout to get a landing, however its final drive ended with a fourth-down Nate Yarnell interception close to the aim line as time expired.
Yarnell began the sport for Eli Holstein and performed nicely, although he was sacked eight instances by Clemson’s protection. Yarnell was 34-of-54 passing for 350 yards and a TD and an interception. Earlier than Klubnik’s run, it regarded like he had performed sufficient for the Panthers to tug the upset.
Pitt acquired its go-ahead area aim after stopping Clemson on a fourth-down run. The Pitt protection had dominated towards Clemson’s run sport … till Klubnik broke the sport open. Even with the 50-yard run, Klubnik completed the sport with 10 carries for 41 yards (after accounting for sack yardage taken). RB Phil Mafah had 17 yards on 17 carries.
Clemson wants some assist to win the ACC
The Tigers are actually 7-1 in ACC play and 8-2 general with two non-conference video games to go. Nonetheless, they want a loss from No. 9 Miami or No. 14 SMU in the event that they need to play for the ACC title or some assist from Louisville and Georgia Tech.
The convention is probably going going to return all the way down to the frequent opponent tiebreaker and Louisville has two convention losses to Georgia Tech’s three. Assuming the Cardinals keep forward of the Yellow Jackets within the standings, Clemson could be on the improper facet of a head-to-head tiebreaker towards Miami or a three-way tiebreaker towards each Miami and SMU as a result of each the Hurricanes and Mustangs beat the Cardinals and Clemson didn’t.
To keep away from that state of affairs and make the ACC title sport, Clemson wants to finish up in a two-way tie for first-place, end in a solo second or have Georgia Tech cross Louisville within the convention standings to alter the frequent opponent tiebreaker with Miami.
Acquired all that? Good. There’s nonetheless lots to play for within the ACC over the ultimate two weeks of the season. And all Clemson can do is watch the outcomes from everybody else.
