Outside of linebacker sensation Sammy Brown, the most consistently strong player for the Clemson Tigers might be sure-footed placekicker Nolan Hauser. He scored the team's first three points of the season versus LSU in Week 1. Without his five field goals versus Georgia Southern in Week 2, the Tigers would not have won that game. After making all three of his tries versus UNC, the guy is on fire lately.
So how good has Hauser been? Dating back to last year, Hauser has made 12 straight field goals from 40-plus yards out. In fact, his last missed field goal from that distance came over a year ago. It came in the ill-fated Georgia Tech road game where the Tigers lost on a last-second field goal to the Yellow Jackets. Hauser missed his 49-yard try during the first quarter. He has been money ever since.
Even if special teams often get overlooked, they are often the difference between winning and losing games. His 16 points were the difference versus Georgia Southern. The same principle applies to the 10 he scored in the North Carolina game. While the art of field-goal kicking is such a tricky and finicky science, Hauser seems to have it locked down for the time being. Let's see how long this continues.
Impressive note from Saturday's game: Clemson junior kicker Nolan Hauser, who made a 49-yard FG against UNC, has now made 12 straight field goals from 40 yards or longer. Hauser's last miss from 40-plus was on Sept. 13, 2025 (52-yard miss at Georgia Tech)
— Chapel Fowler (@chapelfowler) September 21, 2026
Nolan Hauser's great kicking is driving Clemson to become more clutch
When you have a weapon you can rely on in the kicking game, it does wonders for your offense. By merely getting the football within his range, points are to be had, and confidence is to be manifested. Obviously, Clemson needs to start scoring more touchdowns if the Tigers seriously want to make a charge in the ACC hierarchy. However, Hauser defines Clemson as saving its best ball for winning time.
In its current form, Clemson may not be a fast starter in any game offensively. This is far from a well-oiled machine. Tait Reynolds has only made one career start at quarterback. While that was a win for the Tigers, he is far from a polished product running a college offense. Thankfully, Clemson has been prone to making smart and savvy second-half adjustments of late. This has galvanized the program.
If we were to re-examine why Clemson won and North Carolina lost last week, special teams will have played a big part in it. North Carolina would do anything to have a kicker as reliable as Hauser. Aeron Burrell is trying his best, but he is no good from 40 yards out. That is where Hauser's bread and butter is. Even when Clemson's offense sputters out between the 20s, Hauser has been there to uplift the unit.
Of course, kicking at home is not the same as kicking on the road. For Clemson to improve to 3-1 on the season and 2-0 in the ACC with a slight upset victory over Cal, the Tigers may need to call on Hauser once, twice, or even thrice more. This is looking like another ACC game for Clemson that could come down to the wire. The team that is sound in all three phases will likely win it. This includes on special teams.
As long as Hauser remains a reliable kicker, Clemson will always have a chance in any close game.
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