Clemson did what it was supposed to do against an overmatched FCS visitor, rolling Furman 45–10 at Memorial Stadium. The Tigers flashed big-play juice, rotated quarterbacks and smothered the run, piling up 456 total yards while holding the Paladins to 271.
But even in a comfortable win, there were enough hiccups — and a couple of troubling injuries — to keep Dabo Swinney’s staff busy when they hit the film.
Ups: Explosive Ground Game Completely Changes the Tone
Clemson finally looked like a team that could lean on its backs and offensive line. The Tigers rushed for 219 yards on just 31 attempts, averaging more than seven yards per carry.
Chris Denson’s breakout: The freshman turned six carries into 106 yards and a touchdown, including a blazing 50-yard run.
Gideon Davidson shows his power: Davidson added 52 yards on seven carries and ripped off a 28-yard burst that ignited another scoring drive.
Manufactured touches return: Tyler Brown took one designed run 21 yards to the house — exactly the kind of creativity Clemson has needed.
For an offense that has struggled to string together explosive runs most of the season, this was a major step forward.
Ups: Multi-QB Efficiency and Antonio Williams’ Star Turn
Cade Klubnik didn’t need to throw 40 passes; he needed to be efficient and explosive. He delivered 159 yards and two touchdowns on 9-of-15 passing, including scoring strikes of 22 and 35 yards to Antonio Williams.
Williams was the best player on the field whenever he touched the ball, finishing with two touchdowns, nearly 60 receiving yards and almost 100 all-purpose yards on just four touches.
Behind him, the backups produced real value:
Christopher Vizzina went 9-of-15 for 52 yards and a touchdown, running a crisp scoring drive.
Chris Denson completed all four of his passes for a score and added a 10-yard rushing TD late.
Four quarterbacks combined for four touchdowns with no turnovers — the blueprint Clemson has wanted all year.
Ups: Front Seven Controls the Line of Scrimmage
Clemson’s defensive front overwhelmed Furman early and often, holding the Paladins under three yards per carry.
Linebacker Sammy Brown delivered the highlight of the night with a 19-yard interception return that flipped early momentum.
The defensive line lived in the backfield, stacking nine tackles for loss and multiple sacks. Furman repeatedly found itself behind schedule, facing 17 third downs and converting only four.
This was the “attack front” Clemson fans have been wanting to see again.
Downs: Third-Down Funk and Time-of-Possession Issues
The score said blowout. The situational numbers said otherwise.
Clemson went just 4-for-12 on third down and failed on one of two fourth-down tries. Several drives stalled after early penalties or missed assignments.
Furman — despite being overwhelmed physically — held the ball more than Clemson thanks to a pair of long, methodical drives that drained the clock. Against an ACC opponent, that becomes a real problem.
Downs: Red-Zone Misses and Special Teams Lapses
For all the explosive plays, Clemson didn’t maximize red-zone opportunities, finishing 3-of-5 inside the 20.
A missed 36-yard field goal and a stalled goal-to-go series left points on the turf. Furman also landed a game-changing 74-yard punt that completely flipped field position.
Small mistakes, but the kind that start to matter in tight conference matchups.
Downs: Injuries Darken an Otherwise Strong Win
The most concerning moments of the night came when starters went down.
Tight end Olsen Patt-Henry exited early with a knee injury.
Defensive end Jahiem Lawson had to be helped off the field in the second half, unable to put weight on his right leg.
Lawson was still in the game despite Clemson rotating heavily to backups, making the injury even more frustrating. These are two front-line contributors Clemson can’t afford to lose.
Bottom Line
Clemson got what it needed: a confidence-building win, breakout performances from young playmakers and a defensive front that looked suffocating again.
But the Tigers also walked away with a to-do list — finish drives, clean up special teams, execute on third down and wait anxiously for injury updates on Olsen Patt-Henry and Jahiem Lawson.