Note: The following appears in the Furman football gameday program.
The senior class of 2025 is playing its final game in Death Valley today against Furman. It is a group that has seen some ups and downs, but it must be regarded as a class that has continued this program’s tradition of excellence in many ways.
First, this class brought Clemson back to the CFP after a three-year absence by winning the ACC Championship Game last year in dramatic fashion. Freshman Nolan Hauser made a 56-yard field goal on the last play of the game, but Adam Randall, Cade Klubnik and Antonio Williams had a lot to do with the Tigers getting into position for the kick.
Klubnik was named MVP of the 2024 ACC Championship Game in the win over SMU, and he also won the award coming off the bench in 2022 as a freshman in the championship win over North Carolina. He is one of just three players in the history of the ACC Championship Game to be named MVP twice.
Clemson is second in the CFP era in CFP appearances (7), as only Alabama has more (8) and Ohio State is third (6). Being on that list is a big deal, and this group contributed to that total.
This class not only reached the CFP, but it won two ACC titles, as freshmen in 2022 and as juniors in 2024, giving Clemson eight ACC titles in the last 10 years. Clemson has the most conference championships in the last 10 years, as Alabama and Oklahoma have six apiece.
The class was a part of three teams that finished in the top 20 of the AP poll, No. 13 in 2022, No. 20 in 2023 and No. 14 in 2024. The final coaches poll rankings were even better (No. 12, No. 20 and No. 11, respectively).
The class continued one long Clemson streak Friday with the 20-19 victory at No. 19 Louisville. It gave Clemson at least one win over a top-25 team in every season since 2009, or every year Dabo Swinney has been the full-time head coach.
This group can clinch a bowl bid by beating Furman today and give the program a chance to continue one of the most remarkable streaks in college football history. The program has won at least one postseason game in each of the last 14 years. That is the longest streak in college football history, three more than Florida State had from 1985-95 and four more than Alabama’s streak of 10 years in a row from 2014-23.
We cannot be sure who is playing their final game in Death Valley today because of the NFL draft opportunities some of the juniors have. However, I would like to give remarks on a few we know will be out of eligibility when this season closes.
On the offensive line, there are four seniors who have had outstanding and consistent careers. Blake Miller has made 51 consecutive starts and is one of just three Tigers in history to play 3,500 snaps. Walker Parks is also in the top 10 in Clemson history in career snaps, a remarkable accomplishment considering his injury history. He won the department-wide Brandon Streeter Award last year for overcoming injury to return to competition. Tristan Leigh and Ryan Linthicum have also been mainstays on the offensive line.
Klubnik has led Clemson to 24 victories during his career. He can join Trevor Lawrence (34), Deshaun Watson (32), Rodney Williams (32), Tajh Boyd (32) and Charlie Whitehurst (25) as the only quarterbacks in Tiger history to start 25 wins.
Entering the Louisville game, Randall was one of just six players in the nation with at least six rushing touchdowns and three receiving touchdowns.
The defense has just two senior starters in this class, defensive lineman DeMonte Capehart and linebacker Wade Woodaz. Both have been outstanding leaders for multiple seasons.
