No. 5 Clemson had four turnovers, a missed fourth-down conversion and trailed No. 14 Syracuse 21-10 with 4:53 remaining in the third quarter of a battle of ACC unbeaten teams.
Things changed when freshman Cade Klubnik replaced DJ Uiagalelei at quarterback.
The Tigers scored back-to-back TDs, pulled out a 27-21 victory for their 38th straight home win at Memorial Stadium and prompted a question that will be asked for two weeks before a Nov. 5 trip to Notre Dame.
Who is the Tigers' starting quarterback now? Clemson coach Dabo Swinney shut that question on the ABC telecast afterward while fans stormed the field.
MORE: Swinney backs Uiagalelei despite rough game
"DJ is our quarterback," Swinney said. "There ain't no question about that. That's our guy. That's our leader. You can write that right now. DJ is our guy. He's gotta play better, and he will."
It will still be a talking point during the bye week. Uiagalelei had 10 TDs and one interception in his last four games leading up to the matchup against the Orange. Uiagalelei had a first-quarter interception, fumbled on first-and-goal with 9:14 left in the second quarter, which Syracuse’s Ja’Had Carter returned 90 yards for a touchdown and threw another pick in the third quarter.
"Sometimes Steph Curry goes 2-for-25," Swinney said. "The best players can sometimes have a bad day. He got out of rhythm, made some bad plays. We just needed a change."
While NBA Twitter scrambles to see if that Curry stat line is true, the truth is Klubnik proved he is more than just a bench-warmer backup. He took advantage by leading two touchdown drives. The first drive was helped by an unnecessary roughness penalty, which was called when Klubnik was pushed out of bounds on a third-and-25 scramble by Syracuse’s Elijah Fuentes-Cundiff.
Klubnik opened the next drive with an 11-yard run, and Will Shipley took the next play 50 yards for a touchdown. That is a running dimension Klubnik offers in the offense.
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Swinney then trusted Klubnik on the put-away drive. He unleashed a pass to the end zone on third-and-11 to Beaux Collins from the 50, which drew a pass interference call. That set up a field goal, and Clemson made the stand on the other end.
For one day, the offense functioned better with Klubnik under center.
Klubnik offered a spark, didn’t make mistakes and let an elite defense do the rest. It was reminiscent of Sept. 29, 2018, Chase Brice led a second-half home comeback against Syracuse when Trevor Lawrence was knocked out of the game with a head injury. The Tigers won 27-23, and that preserved a national championship run.
How is this different? For starters, Lawrence was a generational freshman who took Kelly Bryant’s starting job that season, and Brice wasn’t going to be the starter moving forward.
It makes sense for Swinney to stick with Uiagalelei, who started in place of Lawrence when the Tigers made their last trip to Notre Dame on Nov. 7, 2020. Uiagalelei threw for 439 yards and two TDs in a 47-40 loss.
It also makes sense to keep Klubnik folded in the game plan each week moving forward – similar to what Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh did with Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy in 2021. Klubnik showed up in a clutch moment, and perhaps he will be needed again in the ACC championship game – where the Tigers are headed if they win one more conference game.
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What happens if Uiagalelei struggles in those spotlight games? Swinney won’t have to wait until it reaches the figurative "2 of 25" point before putting Klubnik in next time, and it could offer hints about how next year’s training camp battle unfolds if Uiagalelei returns for another season.
Trust Swinney to make the right decision. He found the right spot to put Deshaun Watson in for Cole Stoudt and Lawrence for Bryant. Klubnik might not have been quite as heralded coming in, but he’s still a five-star quarterback with a ton of confidence. That could be a difference maker in the College Football Playoff; where Clemson is trying to return after a one-year hiatus.
The SEC and Big Ten heavyweights have their answer at quarterback, and that challenge will be much different than Syracuse.
Will Swinney's shutdown of the controversy be enough? Keep in mind it was a week ago he suggested it was "embarrassing" to ask the question.
Last week: Dabo Swinney tells the media it's "embarrassing" that anyone would ask whether he'll bench D.J. Uiagalelei for Cabe Klubnik.
— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) October 22, 2022
This week: Dabo Swinney benches D.J. Uiagalelei for Cabe Klubnik. pic.twitter.com/ER8pMAilYv
Things change, especially at the top of the playoff food chain.
This does not have to be a backup plan for the rest of the season.
