The Ups
Clemson finally looked like Clemson again. After weeks of inconsistency, Dabo Swinney’s Tigers dominated from start to finish at Alumni Stadium — amassing 504 total yards, forcing five sacks, and holding Boston College to just 214 yards of offense.
Cade Klubnik settled in with his most efficient outing of the season: 22-of-30 passing for 280 yards and a touchdown, plus another score on the ground. He led five scoring drives in the first half alone, including a smooth two-minute drill capped by a 50-yard Nolan Hauser field goal at the horn.
The running game was equally balanced — 226 rushing yards on 43 attempts — led by Keith Adams Jr. (49 yards, TD) and a surprising red-zone cameo from defensive tackle Peter Woods, who bulldozed in a two-yard score.
On defense, linebacker Sammy Brown and edge rusher Jahiem Lawson combined for three sacks, while Ricardo Jones snagged a key interception that shut the door in the fourth quarter. The front seven lived in Boston College’s backfield, posting seven tackles for loss and five quarterback takedowns.
The Downs
Not everything was spotless. Klubnik threw a red-zone interception and backup Christopher Vizzina added another late pick, keeping Clemson from an even larger margin. The Tigers’ lone fumble — by freshman Domonique Eziomume — also killed a promising third-quarter drive.
The offense stalled out briefly in the second half after a 34-10 halftime lead, going scoreless for nearly 25 minutes before Adams iced the game with a one-yard touchdown plunge in the final minute.
The Verdict
This was the statement performance Clemson desperately needed. The Tigers (3-3, 2-2 ACC) looked cohesive, creative, and confident — the traits that had been missing during their early-season skid.
Boston College had no answers for Clemson’s physicality, and the Tigers’ statistical dominance reflected a team rediscovering its identity. With 37 minutes of possession and near-perfect third-down execution (6-for-12), Clemson dictated tempo and tone throughout.
If the Tigers can bottle this formula — balance on offense, pressure up front, and clean special-teams execution — they might just claw their way back into the ACC conversation.