Game Notes: Clemson 38, North Carolina 10

GAME NOTES

• Head Coach Dabo Swinney coached against North Carolina Head Coach Bill Belichick in the second matchup in college football history between one coach with multiple FBS national championships (Swinney) as a head coach and another with multiple Super Bowl titles (Belichick) as a head coach. The only other such matchup came at the end of the 1992 season, when three-time Super Bowl head coach Bill Walsh led Stanford against two-time national championship head coach Joe Paterno’s Penn State squad in the 1993 Blockbuster Bowl. 
• The game was Swinney’s 300th on staff at Clemson including both his time as an assistant coach and head coach. Swinney became the third member of Clemson’s 300-game coaching club. College Football Hall of Famer Frank Howard coached 380 career games (85 as an assistant, 295 as a head coach) at Clemson, not including an additional 44 games he served in Clemson’s athletic administration. One of Howard’s key lieutenants, Bob Jones, served on Clemson’s football staff for 343 games from 1931-69 minus four years of decorated service in World War II.
• Clemson scored 28 points in the first quarter. It was Clemson’s first 28-point quarter since a 28-point second quarter at Wake Forest last season and its first 28-point opening frame since a 28-point first quarter vs. NC State last season.
• Clemson’s 28 first-quarter points alone gave Clemson a season-high in points in a game this season.
• Clemson opened the game with a touchdown on each of its first four drives. It was Clemson’s first time doing so since scoring touchdowns on its first five drives against The Citadel last November, and its first time doing so against an FBS opponent since last September against Appalachian State.
• Clemson gained 488 total yards and has now produced consecutive 400-yard games for the first time this season.
• Clemson threw for a season-high 399 yards and has now thrown for 350 passing yards in consecutive games for the first time since 2020 against Notre Dame and Pitt.
• Clemson’s 399 passing yards were its most since throwing for 460 passing yards against Appalachian State in 2024.
• Clemson’s 399 passing yards were its second-most in a game in its 61-game all-time series with North Carolina, trailing its 436 passing yards against the Tar Heels in 2014.
• Clemson threw a season-high five passing touchdowns, its most since throwing for five touchdowns against Appalachian State in 2024. It was Clemson’s first time throwing five touchdowns against an ACC opponent since 2022 at Wake Forest.
• Clemson averaged a season-high 7.0 yards per play and has now averaged 6.0 or more yards per play in three consecutive games for the first time since a six-game streak last season.
• Quarterback Cade Klubnik completed 22-of-24 passes for 254 yards and four touchdowns.
• Klubnik became only the second quarterback at the college or NFL level ever to throw four touchdown passes in a single half against a team led by Bill Belichick as a head coach. He joined Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, who threw four second-half touchdowns against Belichick’s New England Patriots on Oct. 14, 2018. 
• Klubnik (21-12) tied Mike Eppley (21-5-1) and Steve Fuller (21-11-3) for the ninth-most career wins by a Clemson starting quarterback since World War II.
• Klubnik’s 91.7 percent completion percentage was a season high and was just shy of his career high of 92.3 set against Appalachian State in 2024. 
• Klubnik’s 91.7 percent completion percentage was the fourth-highest completion percentage among qualified passers in Clemson history. 
• During the contest, Klubnik (81) passed Travis Etienne (78) for fourth on Clemson’s all-time leaderboard for career touchdown responsibility (touchdowns thrown and/or scored).
• Klubnik’s four touchdown passes were a season-high and his most since the 2024 ACC Championship Game (four vs. SMU). 
• Klubnik has now thrown three or more touchdown passes in consecutive games for the first time this season.
• On his 11th completion of the game, Klubnik (770) passed Trevor Lawrence (758) for the fourth-most career pass completions in Clemson history.
• On his 20th pass attempt of the game, Klubnik (1,212) passed Deshaun Watson (1,207) for the third-most career passing attempts in Clemson history. 
• Klubnik opened the game 8-for-8 for 135 yards and two touchdowns prior to his first incompletion. He finished the first half 21-of-23 for 251 yards and four touchdowns.
• On the first offensive play of the game, wide receiver Antonio Williams threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver T.J. Moore.
• The touchdown pass from Williams to Moore marked the first time Clemson scored on its opening offensive play of a game since the 2018 ACC Championship Game (Travis Etienne, 75-yard rushing touchdown vs. Pitt).
• The touchdown by Moore was recorded with 14:49 remaining on the clock in the first quarter. The 11 elapsed seconds marked Clemson’s fastest score in a game under Dabo Swinney.
• The 75-yard pass from Wiliams to Moore was six yards shy of the longest touchdown pass by a non-quarterback in Clemson history (running back Joel Wells to Joe Pagliei vs. South Carolina in 1954).
• The touchdown pass was the second of Williams’ career, joining a 28-yard touchdown pass to Jake Briningstool at Wake Forest in 2024.
• Williams became the first non-quarterback to throw multiple career touchdown passes at Clemson since C.J. Spiller (two from 2006-09).
• The touchdown reception was Moore’s first of the season and sixth of his career.
• The 75-yard reception was the longest of Moore’s career.
• Moore finished the game with a season-high 108 yards on five receptions with one touchdown.
• Moore recorded his first 100-yard receiving game of the season. It was the second of his career and his first since a 116-yard effort at Texas in 2024.
• On his fifth and final reception of the contest, Williams (163) passed Terry Smith (162 from 1990-93) for 10th on Clemson’s all-time leaderboard for career receptions.
• Running back Adam Randall rushed eight times for 30 yards and caught four passes for a career-high 73 yards and a career-high two receiving touchdowns.
• Randall became the first Clemson running back to catch two touchdowns in a single game since Travis Etienne in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State.
• Randall now has three touchdown receptions this season following his transition to running back. He recorded two touchdown receptions as a wide receiver from 2022-24.
• Randall scored on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Klubnik in the first quarter.
• Including a touchdown reception in Clemson’s most recent game against Syracuse, Randall became the first Clemson running back to record a touchdown reception in back-to-back games since C.J. Spiller in 2009 against Florida State and NC State. 
• Randall became the first Clemson player to score a touchdown of any kind in five consecutive games since a six-game streak by Will Shipley in 2022.
• Randall became the first Clemson player to score a touchdown in each of the first five games of a season since Travis Etienne in 2018.
• Tight end Christian Bentancur recorded two receptions for 53 yards with two touchdowns.
• Bentancur recorded his first career touchdown reception on a 45-yard scoring grab in the first quarter.
• Bentancur added an eight-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter.
• Bentancur became the first Clemson tight end to record multiple touchdown catches in a game since Jake Briningstool’s two touchdowns against SMU in the 2024 ACC Championship Game.
• Tight end Ian Schieffelin recorded his first career reception in the second quarter.
• Wide receiver Tristan Smith recorded season highs with three receptions for 29 yards.
• Defensive tackle Peter Woods converted a fourth-and-1 with a three-yard gain. Woods is now 2-for-2 this season on converting fourth downs on rushing attempts.
• After allowing 58 yards and a field goal on 10 plays on North Carolina’s opening drive, Clemson’s defense forced four consecutive three-and-outs covering a cumulative minus-five yards.
• Defensive tackle Stephiylan Green recorded a second-quarter sack, his career-high second sack of the season.
• Green has now posted a sack in back-to-back games for the first time in his career.
• Placekicker Nolan Hauser recorded his second punt of the season, pinning North Carolina at its own nine on a surprise pooch punt.
• Hauser converted a 27-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter.
• The game was the first leg of Clemson’s only set of back-to-back road games this season. 
• Captains for the contest were safety Khalil Barnes, running back Adam Randall, cornerback Avieon Terrell and wide receiver Antonio Williams.

WITH THE WIN…

• Clemson improved to 41-19-1 against North Carolina all-time. Clemson’s 41 wins against North Carolina tie its 41 wins against Virginia for the Tigers’ fifth-most against a single opponent in school history.
• Clemson earned a seventh consecutive victory against North Carolina, starting with a 59-38 victory in 2011. The seven straight wins tie the longest winning streak in series history by either team, matching Clemson’s seven consecutive wins in the series from 1986-92.
• North Carolina is now the seventh different opponent against which Clemson carries an active winning streak of seven or more games (32 vs. Furman, 19 vs. The Citadel, 16 vs. Wake Forest, 15 vs. Presbyterian, 12 vs. Boston College, 7 vs. Virginia Tech, 7 vs. North Carolina).
• Clemson snapped a two-game losing streak. Clemson has not lost three consecutive games since 2010.
• Clemson faced North Carolina Head Coach Bill Belichick for the first time. Clemson improved to 171-76-3 all-time (and 54-10 since 2011) when facing a coach for the first time.
• Clemson improved to 2-0 all-time against head coaches whose careers include a Super Bowl title as a head coach. Clemson ended the 1988 season with a 13-6 Citrus Bowl win against an Oklahoma squad led by Barry Switzer in his final game as head coach of the Sooners before he later won Super Bowl XXX as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
• Head Coach Dabo Swinney (182-50) pulled within one victory of LaVell Edwards (183) for the sixth-most wins in the first 20 seasons of an FBS coaching career. Swinney is only in his 18th season (and 17th full season).
• Swinney joined a list of head coaches to defeat both Nick Saban and Bill Belichick that includes Jim Harbaugh, Steve Spurrier, Bill Cowher, Gary Kubiak, Eric Mangini, Mike McCarthy, Dick Jauron, Tony Dungy, Herm Edwards, Dick Vermeil and Romeo Crennel.
• Swinney improved to 7-1 against North Carolina.
• Swinney improved to 41-5 all-time against teams from the state of North Carolina.
• Swinney improved to 21-6 in games played inside the state limits of North Carolina (including eight ACC Championship Game victories in Charlotte). 
• Swinney moved to 18-5 all-time in games immediately following regular season open dates.
• Clemson improved to 41-10 in true road games since the start of the 2015 season.
• Clemson improved to 39-11 in games following a loss under Dabo Swinney, including season openers following a loss in the previous season finale. 
• Clemson improved to 80-12 against ACC opponents, including postseason play, since 2015.
• Clemson improved to 142-21 against AP-unranked teams under Dabo Swinney and is now 119-11 in those games since the start of the 2012 season.
• Clemson improved to 105-18 in regular season play since the start of the 2015 season. 
• Clemson improved to 89-9 when scoring first since the start of the 2015 season.
• Clemson is now 156-12 under Dabo Swinney when leading at halftime, including a 139-8 mark since the start of the 2011 season.
• Clemson is now 147-6 when leading after three quarters since the start of the 2011 season.
• Clemson is now 139-11 when totaling more first downs than its opponent since 2011.
• Clemson is now 77-4 since 2015 when outscoring opponents in the “Middle Eight,” defined as the final four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the second half.
• Clemson is now 122-3 in its last 125 games when holding teams to fewer than 23 points, a span that dates to the middle of the 2010 season.