CLEMSON — There’s no way to sugarcoat it: Clemson may miss the College Football Playoff.
Louisville (6-3, 4-2 ACC) upset the No. 8 Tigers (6-2, 5-1 ACC) on Saturday at Memorial Stadium, winning 33-21. Entering Saturday, the Tigers had won 22 consecutive home night games since 2013, the nation’s second-longest active streak. Despite coming off an open date, Clemson played out of sync on offense, defense and special teams, and the Cardinals walked into Memorial Stadium and took it over.
“There’s no excuses. None,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Ain’t got nothing to do with it. I just flat out got my butt outcoached today.”
Clemson was a virtual lock in CFP projections to end its three-year absence with it favored to win its remaining games. According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Tigers entered the Louisville game with an 18.1% chance to win the ACC, the third-highest, and a 30.8% chance of making the 12-team CFP, second-highest in the conference.
Saturday’s home loss to an unranked opponent, however, will dramatically reduce those percentages. For Clemson potentially to land one of the seven at-large bids, it needed to keep winning. A key reason is how its schedule stacks up compared to the other top teams in FBS. Clemson’s strength of schedule ranked 75th out of 134 schools heading into the Louisville game. Now, it must hope top ranked teams lose.
The Tigers were the masters of their fate to make the ACC championship for a chance to land an automatic playoff berth. But, with their loss and Miami (9-0, 5-0) and SMU (8-1, 5-0) winning Saturday, Clemson will need help from other conference teams to have a chance to win the ACC.
“We don’t control our own destiny anymore,” Swinney said. “That’s incredibly disappointing part because we were in control coming in, and now we’re not.”
Clemson was put in this situation through its overall play on Saturday. Its offense was off, starting the game with two three-and-outs. Quarterback Cade Klubnik, who threw a career-high 56 passes, was rattled early and did not hit on explosive plays. The Tigers had only two completions for more than 15 yards.
WHAT HAPPENED?:Clemson will miss College Football Playoff, more overreactions vs Louisville
Louisville gashed the Tigers’ defense on the ground, rushing for 210 yards with three touchdowns. Three defensive lineman exited the game with injuries, including Peter Woods, but it was an abysmal performance by the unit.
Clemson’s special teams struggled, too. Freshman kicker Nolan Hauser had two field goals blocked, and the Tigers gave up a punt return touchdown that was overturned because of a penalty.
The first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2024 season will be released Tuesday, and Clemson may not crack the top 20 because of its showing Saturday. Still, the team is confident it can rebound to become a playoff-caliber team.
“I think anything can happen,” Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik said. “Our next goal is going up to Virginia Tech and winning that game.”
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
And this is a kicker who’s on everyone’s lips these days. This is the player Clemson Tigers is getting in the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder Nolan Hauser. A three-star prospect from Cornelius with the national high school record for career field goals (66). The freshman joined the Tigers in 2024 and took starting duties like duck to water. It’s a Clemson love story for Nolan and his athletic producers.
Before Clemson, Nolan Hauser was a William Amos Hough High School faithful in Cornelius. Unfortunately, we have limited space and this guy’s HS rap sheet will fill all of it if we go into detail. Y’all can draw perspectives, rated by 247Sports, On3, and Rivals as the nation’s No.1 kicker. He is officially HIM, his recent Ronaldoesque performance under the lights of Doak Campbell Stadium with a career-high five field goals on the Tigers (4-1) Saturday’s 29-13 victory over Florida earned him the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award for the Heisman for Kickers. His Mom wouldn’t be too surprised though. Want to know why?
Who Are Nolan Hauser’s Parents?
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Son of two Clemson graduates and former Clemson student-athletes Scott Hauser and Sheri Bueter Hauser. Daddy Nolan played baseball at Clemson in 1996 and 1997 and pitched for Clemson’s College World Series team of 1996. However, you’d bet that Nolan is known as the son of Sheri Bueter around the campus.
And why not? She was an All-American soccer player for the Tigers from 1994 to 97 and helped the first four teams in Clemson’s history to finish in the top 13 in the country. She to this date has record assists for them with 40. And now inducted in the Clemson University’s Athletics Hall of Fame, cheery on the top. Nolan’s eldest sister, Ella Hauser, mirrored her mother’s attributes and is currently playing soccer for Clemson’s women’s team. Could be a true heir to her mom’s throne. The youngest is Ava.
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Its a funny story that his Mom and Dad met while they were dating someone else from their teams. But they surely were in each other’s orbit and didn’t take long to fall into each other’s arms. They were married on the day of the 1999 World Cup Final in July. She could have been playing the World Cup if she hadn’t got injured in the winter and found out that she needed a meniscus transplant. A sad ending to her career. Now seeing their children flourish must lead to a tear of joy for the athletic duo.
Did Sheri teach Nolan Hauser to hone his kick prowess?
When it comes to kicking, people often think Sheri was the one to teach Nolan how to perfect his form. But in reality, Sheri dispels that myth. “People think I taught him how to kick, but soccer kicking and field-goal kicking are totally different,” she often says. She could be an ambassador for both the sports. “A soccer player leans over the ball for a low drive, while a kicker leans back to get height,” she would explain.
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Rather than hovering over her son’s training, the HOFer took a step back and allowed Nolan’s coaches to forge him into the player he is today. According to Dan Orner, one of Nolan’s early kicking coaches, Sheri wasn’t the kind of soccer mom you’d see on the sidelines shouting instructions. In fact, Orner recalls how Nolan would sprint to his parent’s car after practice, ready to share his progress with them. What do you think is kicking a generational gift for Nolan? Whatever the case, he is definitely talking the Hauser legacy forward.
Well, it was a night that will go down in ACC history and the man leading the charge was Dabo Swinney. When the match ended, or more precisely when Clemson secured a 29-13 win over Florida State, Swinney reached 174 overall… But this wasn’t just any win. The man who rebuilt Clemson football had just surpassed the only coach whose name was synonymous with the ACC for the better part of the last three decades. It is a dramatic irony — Swinney won the title from Bowden on the Bowden field.
Well, folks, Clemson football is humming! Clemson’s coach Dabo Swinney hit number 174, and that makes him the ACC’s all-time winningest coach. This was made possible against none other than the Florida State Seminoles, and in the Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium no less. Perhaps, this story could have been made for the movies, but it is real, and it is a big plus to Clemson football.
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Most career wins by a head coach – Atlantic Coast Conference history (1953-present): 174- Dabo Swinney (Via tonight’s 29-13 @ClemsonFB victory over Florida State) 173- Bobby Bowden 134- George Welsh 113- Frank Beamer 110- Mack Brown 98- Bill Dooley 96- Frank Howard 96- Danny Ford pic.twitter.com/FTSZUhN5ld
Thanks to the Tigers’ 29-13 win over the Seminoles on Saturday night, Swinney tied the record of 174-44 for his entire coaching tenure, which gives him a stunning winning percentage of .798, which is now a record in the ACC. This win is not just a figure; this win is his place in a conference that has already produced its due share of coaching giants. Indeed he surpassed Bobby Bowden’s record of 173 victories, a record set in 2009 when Bowden was coaching the Noles.
Swinney’s achievements do not even end there. He has taken Clemson to eight ACC titles and has won national titles in 2016 and 2018. During his years the Tigers, have also earned six College Football Playoff appearances which set up the paradigm for continuing success. He holds hundreds of home wins and twelve bowl victories, making him a true winner on the field when it is needed most.
That is accomplished all while Dabo Swinney becomes the head coach immediately after replacing Tommy Bowden in the year 2008. He took the program from a good solid competitor to a great national program. Through his work ethic and family-like environment for his players, he demonstrates the spirit with which fans seem to enjoy.
Dabo Swinney: the living legend
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Post the game, Swinney expressed his relations with the Bowden family by saying, “He kinda claims me as one of his own.” This is why you can tell this was heart-warming for him as a coach, and for a man who has immense respect for the history of football.
Moving into the future, Swinney’s record-setting win puts Clemson in a great place. Swinney has already established himself as one of the best in the ACC, and this accomplishment only helps. They want more success in the ACC and beyond, and this milestone gives them the confidence they need. Clemson, again, has a strong team, and a demanding mindset keeper means that it will yet dominate.
The Tigers are once again contenders for more national and conference honors this season after winning four consecutive games after their opener against Georgia. Next up? A game they have coming up against Wake Forest might help them to strengthen that even more.
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Dabo Swinney has raised new future ACC coaches standards, and as far as I am concerned, it is fascinating to know what this part of Clemson’s history will be like. Swinney has his eyes on more wins and another crack at the playoff, so you know he definitely won’t be sitting down anytime soon.
CLEMSON — Clemson football came together Wednesday to help one of its own who was affected by Hurricane Helene.
Tigers freshman wide receiver T.J. Moore and his family lost everything — their home, car, belongings — in the storm when it hit Tarpon Springs, Florida, a city near Tampa.
Moore’s aunt, Samantha Gonzalez, started a GoFundMe on Wednesday with a stated goal of $10,000, with all donations going toward a new apartment, apartment application fees, furniture and hotel room expenses. The fundraiser exceeded that number by Wednesday night, with more than 300 people donating $32,000.
“I can’t even begin to thank everyone for the overwhelming support,” Moore’s mother, Alexandra Moore, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday. “I’m at a loss for words, wiping many tears. Knowing that we don’t have to wonder or worry where we’ll sleep next takes a huge burden off of our chest.”
Various Clemson football and athletic department staffers donated to the cause. T.J. Moore’s teammates, defensive linemen Peter Woods and T.J. Parker, both gave $500. The largest donation was $7,500 from an anonymous contributor.
According to the GoFundMe, Moore and his family “took on about 5ft of water in Hurricane Helene.” The page shows pictures of flooding in their home and car. Moore is among 14 Florida players who are on the Clemson team.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said after the game Saturday against Stanford that many players were affected by Helene but didn’t want to get into specific details. Swinney said Wednesday that Moore’s family came to Clemson in the middle of last week to avoid the storm, and he gave Moore’s mom a hug at “Tiger Walk.”
“Total loss, devastation and so hopefully people will help and support them as they try to start over,” Swinney said. “It was a devastating storm to so many people, but they’ve got great spirit. . . .
“I was just trying to give her a hug and pick her up, and she picked me up. She was just like, ‘Listen, it’s all good. We’re grateful,’ and what an amazing spirit that they have as a family. So I know they’ll push through it.”
Moore will return to his home state Saturday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) when No. 14 Clemson (3-1, 2-0 ACC) faces Florida State (1-4, 1-3) in Tallahassee at Doak Campbell Stadium. Through four games this season, he has six receptions for 105 yards and one touchdown, and he made his first career start against Stanford.
MORE:Why Clemson football, Dabo Swinney’s victory vs Stanford meant more after Hurricane Helene
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
There was little, if any, belief that Stanford football (2-2, 1-1 ACC) would be able to keep Saturday’s game against Clemson close. The Tigers, one of college football’s premier programs, had come off back-to-back blowout wins, even scoring 59 points in last week’s victory against NC State.
But despite the 40-14 loss, Stanford’s ability to keep the game within striking distance for three quarters should warrant approval by fans.
The rushing attack was potent, with the Cardinal tallying 236 yards on the ground. Micah Ford was the leading rusher, with 122 yards on 15 attempts. Junior quarterback Ashton Daniels also excelled on the ground, to the tune of 87 yards on 10 attempts, and only taking one sack.
Stanford’s first ever trip to Clemson was marred by mistakes, and although there were glimpses of hope, the final score of 40-14 showed that Stanford still has a ways to go to compete at the level they want to.
The Cardinal’s defense excelled for their second straight game in a hostile environment, showing signs of being a unit that the team can lean on. Junior cornerback Collin Wright displayed why he should be on NFL draft boards, getting his first pick of the season while also tackling well in space. The defense forced Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik into a rare inaccurate performance, as Klubnik completed less than 50% of his passes.
But self-inflicted wounds eventually came back to bite Stanford.
Early in the game, two turnovers and a failed fourth down conversion killed promising drives for the Stanford offense. A couple of ill-advised throws from Daniels in the first quarter began a disappointing day for the passing offense. Daniels passed for 71 yards and nine completions on 19 attempts, to go along with a touchdown and three interceptions, before exiting the game in the fourth quarter with an apparent ankle injury.
“We just did a poor job of taking care of the football,” Taylor said in a post-game press conference. “We should have had two field goals at the beginning. Then I really think it’s a different game.”
“If you’re gonna come into a place like this against a great team, you can’t have that many mistakes.”
Taylor lauded Daniels for his performance in the run game.
But, “quarterback is one of those [positions] where you can have 70 good plays and you have three bad plays, and it’s a rough game,” he said. “That’s just the nature of the position.”
Redshirt junior quarterback Justin Lamson came in for the remainder of the fourth quarter, and threw four completions and a touchdown in eight attempts. But Lamson also had the fumble on the first drive of the game that wiped away a first down, setting up a short field for Clemson’s first score.
Unfortunately, too many quick drives and turnovers by the offense kept the defense on the field for a long part of the night, and they were unable to keep Klubnik from connecting on deep passes late in the game. Stanford also missed some opportunities for scores due to Taylor’s aggressiveness on fourth down, but the former Sacramento State head coach does not regret his strategy.
“We’re not here to play to keep it close,” he said. “So we play the game and we make calls to go for it on certain downs to win the football game.”
Up next, Stanford will head back home to face the Virginia Tech Hokies (2-3, 0-1 ACC) on Oct. 5. While the Hokies possess a losing record, their controversial loss to Miami on Friday should keep Stanford fans on their toes for the rest of game week.
Injury Report
Daniels was knocked out of the game in the fourth quarter with an apparent ankle injury. Taylor said there were no updates on Daniels’ status during the post-game press conference.
Junior safety Jaivion Green also left the game during the first quarter after being injured on Klubnik’s 34-yard touchdown run. Similar to Daniels, Taylor noted there was no update on Green’s status.
According to Stanford play-by-play announcer Troy Clardy, junior wide receiver Mudia Reuben is out for the rest of the season. Reuben was injured in Stanford’s game against Syracuse last week.
Fifth-year defensive lineman Tobin Phillips had his first start since his injury against Cal Poly earlier this month.
Freshman wide receiver Emmett Mosley V made his collegiate debut after battling injuries during the first three games of the season. Mosley also had the first touchdown reception of his career in garbage time and tallied seven receptions for 48 yards for the game.
Inside linebacker Jahsiah Galvan made his Stanford debut in Saturday’s game. Galvan tallied his first sack in a Stanford uniform during the third quarter.
CLEMSON, S.C. —Is Clemson that good or is NC State that bad?
That’s a question you’ll hear throughout the rest of Saturday and for the next week. To be fair, the Wolfpack has struggled mightily through the first three games of the season, and Saturday was no different. In fact, it was another punishment at the hands of a superior opponent, similar to what happened just two weeks ago in a 41-point loss to No. 6 Tennessee.
But at this point, it’s more about the Tigers. For two straight games, Clemson’s offense looks like the versions of old — the ones that included two most legendary quarterbacks in program history. Cade Klubnik continues to be on a different level, looking more and more comfortable with each snap he takes. The Tigers have completely flushed the disappointing Week 1 loss to Georgia. That game in Atlanta wasn’t even a month ago — it feels like lost history with the way Dabo Swinney’s group has looked in the last couple tries.
Over the offseason, a big emphasis was placed on resting Phil Mafah and saving him for a large workload in 2024. At this rate, that was unnecessary. Two weeks ago, it was 10 carries for 118 yards. This time around, Mafah needed just seven carries to rough up the Wolfpack defense for 107 yards, and a lot of it came after he sustained an early injury.
It’s likely that neither Appalachian State nor NC State boosts the resume by season’s end, but that doesn’t mean you throw away what’s happened on the field recently.
“It feels like it’s been 10 years since we’ve beaten NC State like this,” a fan said in the row in front of me, during the third quarter. She was completely turned around and talking to her cohorts, not even looking at the field. Usually, one would say, ‘It’s so bad that I can’t watch.’
In this case, ‘It’s so good that I don’t need to watch.’
(Photo: John Byrum / Icon Sportswire, Getty)
It was just another ho-hum first half for Klubnik, who completed 14 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in the first two quarters — he ran for a 55-yard score, as well. Against the Mountaineers, it was mostly damage through the air — Clemson rushed for 228 yards in the first half.
It was a mauling in favor of the Tigers on each line of scrimmage, which was mostly expected from Clemson’s defensive line against what has been a poor offensive line for NC State. But the Tigers were without their most dangerous man, Peter Woods.
(Photo: Ken Ruinard, USA TODAY Sports)
Matt Luke continues to be a savior for Clemson’s offensive line, which is undoubtedly near the top of college football right now. Yes, you might want to read that again. Through three games, the Tigers have one of the most dominant offensive fronts in the entire sport — they’ve still not allowed a sack.
There are some challenges still ahead, but there isn’t a team remaining on the schedule that will be more equipped than Clemson, in terms of talent. Unless there are abrupt changes in performance, the Tigers will be favored to win every game, all the way to Charlotte.
To quote Swinney, you better buy all the freakin’ Clemson stock you can right now.
Evidence that Clemson’s offense has finally turned a corner will have to wait at least another week.
Facing off against No. 1 Georgia, the No. 14 Tigers cobbled together just 188 yards on 3.6 yards per play in a 34-3 loss. After spending just two snaps inside opposing territory in the first half — one ended in a loss, the other in a penalty — Clemson’s only points came on a 26-yard field about midway through the third quarter, by which point the Bulldogs had built a 13-0 lead. Georgia would respond to the Tigers’ field goal with a touchdown on the ensuing possession to erase any sense of momentum.
After coming up just short of the College Football Playoff last season, Georgia looks built to smother teams on the way to a third national championship in four years. For the Tigers, even short gains felt like accomplishments; any long gain felt like an absolute miracle.
Second-year starting quarterback Cade Klubnik finished 18 of 29 for 142 yards, just 4.9 yards per attempt, with an interception. His receiver corps struggled to get any separation against the Bulldogs’ secondary while Clemson’s offensive front failed to get any movement, resulting in just 46 rushing yards on 23 carries. Overall, the performance would be shocking had we not seen it again and again these past three seasons — a crippling run of unrealized production that has coincided with Clemson’s disappearance from the national stage.
Of course, Georgia is going to do this to teams. The Bulldogs were not only dominant defensively but unsurprisingly effective on the offensive side: Carson Beck was 23 of 33 for 278 yards and two scores, kickstarting his Heisman Trophy campaign in style, while seven runners combined for 163 yards and two touchdowns on 6.3 yards per carry.
Even if the Bulldogs are the No. 1 team in the country, that Clemson was thoroughly dominated shows how far the Tigers stand from true title contention. When these two teams met in 2021, a 10-3 Georgia win, you could’ve made the case that Clemson was only a step or two behind the eventual national champs. A few years later, that gap has widened to miles and miles of what seems to be insurmountable space.
That makes Georgia the biggest winner and Clemson the biggest loser from Week 1 of the 2024 season. Here’s the rest of the list:
Winners
Penn State
The No. 9 Nittany Lions’ new-look offense delivered 457 yards on 7.6 yards per play, led by quarterback Drew Allar’s 216 passing yards and three touchdowns on 13.1 yards per throw, in a 34-12 win at West Virginia. This a quick validation of James Franklin’s decision to hire coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, who previously worked wonders in the same position at Kansas. The turning point was a late touchdown drive to end the first half, a 73-yard haul in just three plays to respond to put Penn State in front 20-6 at the break. After an extended weather delay, the Nittany Lions tacked on a pair of touchdowns in the second half for a convincing road win against Power Four opponent. After one week, the Nittany Lions look like a very legitimate Big Ten threat and one of the top contenders for the playoff.
Dylan Raiola
The five-star true freshman kicked off his college career at Nebraska with a bang: Raiola completed 19 of 28 throws for 238 yards and two scores without an interception as the Cornhuskers got started with a breezy 40-7 win at home against Texas-El Paso. One of the biggest additions of the offseason in the Big Ten, Raiola is a clear upgrade over what Nebraska worked with in Matt Rhule’s first season and one of a few reasons why the Cornhuskers are a trendy pick for eight or more wins.
Tennessee
It’s only Chattanooga, so let’s not get too excited. But the 69-3 win for the No. 15 Tennessee was highlighted by a wonderful 2024 debut for redshirt freshman Nico Iamaleava, a former five-star prospect who got his feet wet in four appearances last season. Iamaleava hit on 22 of 28 throws for 314 yards and three touchdowns, including a 59-yard score to Dont’e Thornton Jr., before taking a seat for almost all of the final two quarters. All but one of his 314 yards came in the first half to set a new program record for one half, breaking by one yard the previous mark set by Tyler Bray against Troy in 2012.
Ohio State and Texas
These two playoff favorites hit the ground running. New Ohio State quarterback Will Howard had 246 yards of total offense and several freshmen made an immediate impact as the No. 2 Buckeyes poured it on in the second half to beat Akron 52-6. One rookie, five-star receiver Jeremiah Smith, led Ohio State with six grabs for 92 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman running back James Peoples had 30 yards and a score in six carries behind co-starters TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, who combined for 120 yards on 21 touches. Texas rolled past Colorado State 52-0 behind 545 yards of offense to set up next week’s huge non-conference matchup against No. 8 Michigan. The win included the first career touchdown pass for redshirt freshman Arch Manning, who finished with 95 passing yards.
Losers
Florida
The clock is ticking on Billy Napier after an ugly, hard-to-watch 41-17 loss at home to Miami showed just how far the program has fallen in his third season. In a must-win game against a bitter rival, the Gators were barely competitive. The schedule was always going to be a problem: Florida is slated to play eight ranked teams, including five ranked opponents in a row to close the regular season. While the Hurricanes have clearly taken a step forward thanks to additions such as new quarterback Cam Ward, who threw for 385 yards and three scores, that the Gators were whipped in the Swamp is the strongest hint to date that Napier’s time is numbered and that this year’s team could be just the second since 1980 to lose eight or more games.
Virginia Tech
At the very least, an overtime loss at Vanderbilt evaporates all of the optimism around the Hokies after a very strong close to last season and and immediately tosses the Hokies out of any consideration for the Top 25. Down 17-3 at halftime, Tech scrambled back to take the a 27-20 lead before the Commodores tied the game with under two minutes left in regulation. While not important in the grander scheme of things — any road to the playoff has to include an ACC title — falling to the Commodores is the sort of loss that can come to define a season, if not cut a promising year down to size before getting into September.
ACC
Miami might’ve looked the part, but that result was an outlier amid a bad first step for the ACC. Clemson was blasted by Georgia. Virginia Tech lost to Vanderbilt. No. 21 North Carolina State struggled to put away Western Carolina. A week ago, No. 10 Florida State got things started for the ACC with a loss to Georgia Tech. It’s been a pretty awful start for the conference, which was already badly losing a battle of public perception against the Big Ten and SEC. Down the line, bad losses in non-conference play and sloppy showings from the league’s best of the best could hold major sway with the playoff selection committee as they look through a dozen or more options from the Power Four for the seven at-large bids.
