Clemson didn’t fix everything on a chilly Friday night in Louisville—but it did walk out with a season-saving 20–19 win over a 7–2 Cardinals team. The Tigers were outgained 385–310, went just 1-for-13 on third down and coughed up a brutal goal-line fumble… and still found a way. A dominant night from Adam Randall, clutch special teams, and a defense that stiffened in the red zone carried Clemson to 4–5 (3–4 ACC).
Here’s how every group graded out in a gut-check road victory.
Quarterback: C+
On paper, Cade Klubnik had a clean if unspectacular night: 22-of-34 for 187 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, completing 65 percent of his throws.
He spread the ball around to six receivers and avoided the back-breaking interception in a one-point game.
But the context matters. Clemson went 1-for-13 on third down and 2-for-4 on fourth, and the passing game rarely stressed Louisville vertically.
Klubnik also finished with -6 rushing yards and lost a fumble at the Louisville 4-yard line on a 10-play, 71-yard drive that could have changed the game script.
He managed the offense, hit enough underneath throws to keep drives moving, and didn’t implode. Still, for a veteran quarterback, the red-zone turnover and lack of explosive passes keep this in the “just OK” category.
Running Backs: A-
This was the Adam Randall game.
The junior tailback was the best player on the field: 15 carries for 105 yards and two touchdowns, including a 25-yard scoring burst off a forced fumble in the second quarter and the 1-yard go-ahead plunge in the fourth. He averaged 7.0 yards per carry and finished with 132 all-purpose yards when you add three catches for 27 yards.
Gideon Davidson (4 carries, 24 yards) provided efficient relief, and the backs hammered out enough tough yardage to drag Clemson to 123 net rushing yards against a physical front.
The only thing preventing a straight A is the overall inconsistency of the ground game early and the offense’s situational issues. But Randall’s breakout in a true road upset is exactly what this grade story is supposed to highlight.
Wide Receivers / Tight Ends: B
The passing numbers won’t jump off the page, but this group did its job in a grind-it-out game.
Antonio Williams: 7 catches, 52 yards
T.J. Moore: 6 catches, 68 yards
Olsen Patt-Henry: 3 catches, 25 yards
Clemson’s receivers combined for 22 grabs and 187 yards, with no scores but enough chain-moving plays to offset the anemic third-down percentage.
Williams and Moore were reliable outlets, and Patt-Henry’s early seam route helped set up the first field goal.
There were still a few missed opportunities—penalties erased a big Williams gain, and drops showed up at bad times—but this was a solid, workmanlike night from a group that had to live in the short and intermediate zones.
Offensive Line: B-
The box score says Clemson averaged 4.2 yards per rush and allowed just one sack on 34 attempts.
That’s quietly decent work against a Louisville front that came in with a strong reputation. The Tigers found real push late, especially on Randall’s downhill runs and the fourth-quarter go-ahead drive.
Still, the situational numbers tell you why the grade isn’t higher:
1-for-13 on third down
2-for-4 on fourth down
Protection was generally good, but negative plays and a few missed assignments showed up in the red zone and behind the sticks. It wasn’t dominant, but the line was good enough to win on the road—something Clemson hasn’t been able to say every week this season.
Defensive Line: B-
If you watched Keyjuan Brown rip off chunk runs, you might expect a harsher verdict. Brown gashed Clemson for 135 yards on 15 carries (9.0 per rush) as Louisville piled up 171 rushing yards and a 5.7 yards-per-carry clip.
But the front also delivered just enough disruption to keep the Cardinals out of the end zone:
5 tackles for loss, including 1 sack
Held Louisville to 2-for-11 on third down and 0-for-1 on fourth
Forced a key red-zone stall that turned into a missed field goal late
The Tigers didn’t control the line of scrimmage, but they bowed up in the red zone and on money downs. In a one-point game, that matters.
Linebackers: B
Sammy Brown played like the five-star he was billed to be: a game-high 11 tackles, including a sack and two tackles for loss, flying sideline-to-sideline and cleaning up when the front leaked.
Wade Woodaz added six stops and 1.5 TFLs, anchoring the second level in the teeth of Louisville’s ground attack.
They weren’t perfect—Brown and company were on the field for plenty of Brown’s big runs—but they limited explosives after contact and tightened in the red zone. This was a physical, high-volume outing against a run-heavy game plan.
Secondary: B
Louisville finished with 214 passing yards and just one passing touchdown, a 2-yard shovel-style score from Caullin Lacy to tight end Nate Kurisky.
Clemson didn’t record an interception but kept everything mostly in front and rallied to the ball.
The play of the night came from corner Avieon Terrell, who forced and recovered a Duke Watson fumble at the Louisville 25. Three snaps later, Randall was in the end zone and Clemson had its first touchdown.
Chris Bell and Lacy hit a few chunk gains, but with the game on the line the Tigers forced field goals instead of giving up back-breaking touchdowns. In a 20–19 game, that’s the difference between an ugly L and a season-altering W.
Special Teams: B
If you’re looking for the hidden edge in a one-point road win, start here. Outside of a bad snap that nearly cost the Tigers the game, it was a nearly perfect outing.
Nolan Hauser: 2-for-2 on field goals (27, 48) and 2-for-2 on PATs
Robert Gunn III: 5 kickoffs, 5 touchbacks
Jack Smith: 5 punts, 41.4-yard average, 4 downed inside the 20
On the other side, Louisville went 2-for-4 on field goals and missed a PAT, including two fourth-quarter field goal misses from 50 and 46 yards that loomed gigantic as the clock hit :00.
Clemson’s coverage units were solid, and the Tigers didn’t allow a single kickoff or punt return yard. That’s as clean as it gets—and it flat-out won them the game.
Coaching: B-
The staff deserves credit for:
Leaning into Adam Randall once it was clear he had the hot hand
Sticking with the run game instead of panicking into a dropback fest
Crafting a bend-but-don’t-break defensive plan that traded yards for field goals
But the same issues that have haunted Clemson all season were still there: brutal third-down offense, a clunky red-zone drive that ended in a fumble, and some questionable late-game sequencing that put extra pressure on the defense and special teams.
Still, winning on the road against a ranked-caliber team when you don’t play your best is the mark of a resilient locker room. Clemson needed a result more than a statement, and the Tigers got exactly that.
MVP: Adam Randall
No debate. In a game decided by one point, Randall’s 105 rushing yards, two touchdowns and tone-setting physicality were the difference between a long offseason and a November revival story.