CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Cade Klubnik threw for a touchdown and ran for a second as Clemson defeated Florida State 24-10 on Saturday to win at Death Valley for the first time in two months.
The Tigers and Seminoles looked like they would have big implications on the Atlantic Coast Conference race. But both contenders were out of the picture early and left scrambling to salvage lost seasons.
Clemson (4-5, 3-4 ACC) was 1-4 at home this season and had lost their past six games against Power 4 programs on its field.
This time, though, the Tigers took an 18-0 lead and took advantage of nearly all of Florida State’s miscues to end a three-game drought at home since defeating Troy 27-16 on September 6.
Klubnik had a 3-yard TD run to finish the 75-yard opening scoring drive and holder Clay Swinney — the youngest son of Tigers coach Dabo Swinney — bolted for a two-point conversion.
The Tigers cashed in on a fourth-down stop in the second quarter inside Florida State territory with a 34-yard flea-flicker scoring pass from Klubnik to Antonio Williams.
Down 24-7 in the fourth quarter, the Seminoles were called for offensive pass interference and unnecessary roughness to push them back.
The Tiger defense struggled the past two games, allowing 81 points combined in losses to SMU and Duke. Maybe it was a visit by former national championship defensive coordinator Brent Venables or a renewed dedication to finishing strong, but Clemson held strong when it mattered most.
The Tigers had a fourth-down stop and forced a fumble with Florida State on Clemson’s 8 to end two promising first-half drives by Florida State.
Florida State finally broke through right before the half on Castellanos’ 7-yard touchdown pass to Lawayne McCoy.
The Seminoles’ last chance to make things tight ended when Castellanos was chased by cornerback Avieon Terrell and slipped to the ground on fourth down with 2:51 to play.
Klubnik completed 19-of-26 passes for 221 yards. Castellanos was 20-of-38 passing for 203 yards and an interception to go along with his fumble.
The Takeaway
Florida State: The Seminoles, ACC champions two seasons ago, need to defeat Virginia Tech, NC State or Florida to qualify for the postseason after missing out last year.
Clemson: The Tigers were ACC favorites and expected to compete for a national title. Instead, they are also looking to reach a bowl game after a struggling start to the season.
Up Next
Florida State returns home to face Virginia Tech on Saturday night.
Clemson has a short week and will play No. 14 Louisville on Friday night.