In an era when draft-bound quarterbacks increasingly skip bowl games, Cade Klubnik made a different call.
Clemson’s third-year starter will play in the Pinstripe Bowl against Penn State on Dec. 27, even as 26 scholarship Tigers will be unavailable. For head coach Dabo Swinney, the decision wasn’t surprising — and it wasn’t sentimental.
It was strategic.
“When bowl season comes around, those guys want to play in the NFL,” Swinney said. “Just check the weather reports at the NFL stadiums this Sunday. I think it’s four degrees in Green Bay. Alright, Klubnik — you want to play quarterback? Check out what the weather is in New York.”
Cold Weather, Clear Message
The setting matters. Yankee Stadium. Late December. Temperatures expected in the mid-30s. Wind. A baseball field. Everything about the Pinstripe Bowl is designed to test comfort.
And that’s exactly the point.
NFL football is played in December and January, often in brutal conditions. Swinney believes Klubnik’s willingness to embrace that environment sends a message to evaluators — not just about toughness, but about readiness.
“So, you know, you have to be able to play in cold weather,” Swinney said. “I’m excited about the opportunity this week, next week.”
Clemson Has Seen This Before
Swinney’s confidence isn’t theoretical. He’s watched bowl performances change perceptions.
He pointed to current Clemson running backs coach C.J. Spiller, whose dominant showing in the 2009 Music City Bowl against Kentucky earned MVP honors in what Swinney still calls the coldest game in program history. That performance helped cement Spiller’s draft status, leading to his selection at No. 7 overall in the 2010 NFL Draft.
Cold didn’t hurt Spiller. It helped define him.
Swinney hopes Klubnik’s opportunity works the same way.
Leadership Over Opt-Outs
Klubnik’s decision resonates even more given what Clemson won’t have. Star receiver Antonio Williams has declared for the NFL Draft and will not play, leaving Klubnik to lead a depleted offense into the Bronx.
That leadership hasn’t gone unnoticed inside the locker room.
“Just an experienced guy back there is going to be great for us,” receiver Tyler Brown said. “I’m just blessed that he decided to stay and have one last hurrah with his guys… he decided to stick it out and finish.”
In a bowl season dominated by departures, Klubnik’s presence becomes a stabilizing force.
One More Stage
Clemson heads to New York with momentum, belief, and a quarterback who chose competition over caution. Klubnik will be joined by fellow returners like Adam Randall, tasked with facing a Penn State team that once climbed as high as No. 2 nationally.
For Klubnik, it’s one more test — and one more tape.
Deliver in the cold. Lead a short-handed roster. Win on a neutral field. Do that, and the Pinstripe Bowl becomes more than a finale.
It becomes a statement.