Game Notes: Syracuse 34, Clemson 21

GAME NOTES

• Clemson recorded a season-high 503 yards of offense.
• Clemson reached 500 yards of offense for the first time this season, the 58th time since the start of the 2015 season and the 79th time of Dabo Swinney’s tenure.
• Clemson dropped to 128-3-1 all-time in games in which it has reached 500 yards.
• Clemson reached 400 yards in a game for the 100th time since the start of the 2015 season. Clemson became the fourth team in the nation to reach 400 yards in 100 total games in that span, joining Oklahoma (105 prior to Saturday), Ohio State (102) and Alabama (101).
• Clemson’s 503 total yards included a season-high 363 passing yards.
• Quarterback Cade Klubnik completed 37-of-60 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns. His pass attempts and completions were both career highs.
• The 60 pass attempts by Klubnik were the third-most in a game in Clemson history, trailing Deshaun Watson’s 70 attempts vs. Pitt in 2016 and Cullen Harper’s 66 attempts vs. Virginia Tech in 2007.
• Klubnik’s 363 passing yards were the second-most of his career, trailing his 378 against Appalachian State last September.
• With his first 300-yard passing game of the season, Klubnik (eight) tied Charlie Whitehurst (eight from 2002-05) for the fourth-most career 300-yard passing games in Clemson history.
• The game was the 13th of Klubnik’s career in which he has thrown three or more touchdown passes.
• On his 11th pass of the game, Klubnik (1,188) passed Trevor Lawrence (1,138) for the fourth-most career pass attempts in Clemson history.
• During the contest, Klubnik (9,020) passed Woodrow Dantzler (8,798) to enter the Top 5 in Clemson history in career yards of total offense.
• Wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. recorded two touchdown receptions among his six receptions for 79 yards. 
• The game was the third multi-touchdown game of Wesco’s career, joining his two-touchdown performances against SMU in 2024 and Troy in 2025.
• Wesco has now caught a touchdown pass in three consecutive games for the first time in his career.
• Wesco became the first Clemson player to catch a touchdown in three straight games since Beaux Collins’ four-game streak to open the 2022 season.
• Clemson scored on its first offensive possession on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Klubnik to Wesco.
• On the 38-yard touchdown pass to Wesco, Klubnik (77) became the fifth player in Clemson history to be responsible for 75 career touchdowns, joining Tajh Boyd (133), Deshaun Watson (116), Trevor Lawrence (108) and Travis Etienne (78).
• Wesco added his second touchdown reception of the game on a nine-yard scoring grab in the fourth quarter.
• The second touchdown reception was Wesco’s fifth touchdown catch of the season, already matching his single-season career high of five set in 12 games last season.
• Wesco’s five touchdown receptions this season are the most by a Clemson player through the first four games of season since DeAndre Hopkins’ five receiving touchdowns through the first four games of the 2012 season.
• Wide receiver T.J. Moore led Clemson in receptions (eight) and receiving yards (92), both season highs.
• Running back Adam Randall rushed 16 times for 130 yards and added a career-high seven receptions for 44 yards.
• Randall also added 53 kickoff return yards for a career-high total of 227 all-purpose yards. He became the first Clemson player to record 200 all-purpose yards since Will Shipley’s 242 yards against Syracuse in 2022.
• Randall recorded his second career 100-yard rushing game, joining his 112-yard performance against Troy earlier this season.
• Clemson is now 70-6 when having a 100-yard rusher since 2011.
• Randall’s 130 rushing yards were the most by a Clemson player since Phil Mafah’s 171 yards against Louisville last November.
• Klubnik threw his second touchdown pass of the day on a six-yard pass to Randall.
• The touchdown was Randall’s fourth total touchdown of the season but his first via reception.
• The receiving touchdown was the third of Randall’s career, including two last season as a wide receiver. It was his first receiving touchdown since Oct. 12 last season at Wake Forest.
• Randall’s touchdown capped a 13-play, 92-yard scoring drive. It was Clemson’s longest drive by yardage this season and longest since a 93-yard touchdown drive at Pitt last November. The drive was Clemson’s fourth this season of 13 plays or more.
• Wide receiver Antonio Williams returned to action after exiting the first quarter of Clemson’s season opener. He recorded five receptions for 49 yards.
• Defensive tackle Peter Woods recorded his first career rushing attempt in the first quarter, converting a fourth-and-1 with a two-yard gain.
• Clemson was held without a rushing touchdown, ending a streak of 62 consecutive home games with a rushing touchdown that had been the nation’s longest active streak. Prior to Saturday, the last team to hold Clemson without a rushing touchdown in Death Valley was Troy in 2016.
• Clemson recorded three sacks.
• Defensive end T.J. Parker recorded his second sack of the season in the second quarter, pushing his career total to 18.5.
• Defensive end Jahiem Lawson recorded his first sack of the season in the fourth quarter.
• The game included a one-hour-and-36-minute lightning delay, including the four remaining minutes in halftime when the delay was initiated.
• Defensive tackle Stephiylan Green recorded his second career sack — his first of the season — in the fourth quarter.
• The contest was Clemson’s sixth game at Death Valley on record — and its second of his season — to include a weather delay:
  • Oct. 12, 1963 vs. Georgia: 20-minute halftime delay
  • Sept. 4, 1993 vs. UNLV: 17-minute fourth-quarter delay
  • Sept. 19, 2009 vs. Boston College: 55-minute third-quarter delay and a 48-minute fourth-quarter delay
  • Sept. 18, 2021 vs. Georgia Tech: One-hour-and-52-minute second-quarter delay (including an observed halftime)
  • Sept. 6, 2025 vs. Troy: One-hour-and-32-minute first-quarter delay.
  • Saturday vs. Syracuse: One-hour-and-36-minute halftime delay (including four minutes of halftime)
• Clemson is now 38-11 in games following a loss under Dabo Swinney, including season openers following a loss in the previous season finale.
• Clemson dropped to 10-3 all-time against Syracuse. The win by Syracuse snapped a six-game Clemson winning streak in the series, the longest by either program.
• Clemson is now 138-11 when totaling more first downs than its opponent since 2011.
• Captains for the contest were defensive end Will Heldt, offensive lineman Tristan Leigh, safety Tyler Venables and wide receiver Antonio Williams.