Just two weeks into the 2025 season, Cade Klubnik’s Heisman Trophy campaign appears to be on life support.
The Clemson quarterback received plenty of preseason hype and had odds as low as +900 at BetMGM to win the award. Only two players entered Week 1 with shorter odds at the online sportsbook: Texas QB Arch Manning and LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier.
Entering Week 3, there are 15 players listed ahead of Klubnik, whose odds have sunk like the Titanic to +2,500. South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, FSU’s Thomas Castellanos, Auburn’s Jackson Arnold, and Florida’s DJ Lagway are just a few of the quarterbacks who have surged past Klubnik over the last two weeks.
Does he still have any chance at getting into the mix? Looking at his stats and Clemson’s “eh” 1-1 start, it’s hard to think so. Klubnik has completed 59.7% of his passes this season, which ranks 13th in the ACC and 94th in all of FBS.
He’s thrown for 426 yards and is averaging 6.9 yards per attempt, which isn’t even top 10 in the ACC. Klubnik has two touchdowns and two interceptions, including a pick-6 last week against Troy. He’s also oddly provided nothing with his legs, totalling minus-3 yards on 13 rushing attempts.
Klubnik is supposed to be better than this. He is better than this. These early numbers look way too reminiscent of 2023, when many Tigers fans were calling for a change at the position.
You have to wonder if things don’t turn around quickly, could Dabo Swinney look for another option at quarterback, as early as this week against Georgia Tech?
It’s hard to believe that’s the conversation right now. Klubnik had a dreadful first half against Troy, a team Clemson was favored by 30.5 points to easily beat. Instead, the Tigers trailed 16-3 at the half, and Klubnik did throw two second-half touchdowns to help rally the team to a 27-16 victory.
However, he wasn’t sharp for way too much of a game against a G5 opponent a week after he struggled against LSU’s talented defense. His offensive line hasn’t played its best. He’s missing a star receiver in Antonio Williams (hamstring injury), and offensive coordinator Garrett Riley hasn’t always put Klubnik and his teammates in the best position to succeed.
With all of that, the goal is just to get Klubnik more comfortable and back to looking like the playmaker he was last year. Clemson has never been about winning him the Heisman. Still, you have to wonder if he and his teammates bought into too much hype.
He’s not creating the dynamic plays he did last year, whether that’s by design or not. He’s capable of turning this around and producing much better numbers. It starts with Georgia Tech at noon on Saturday.
This is far from a “gimmie” game. If Klubnik struggles again and/or Clemson loses, falling completely out of the Heisman race will be the least of his concerns.