Clemson Doesn’t Look CFP Ready With DJ Uiagalelei, But Here Comes Cade Klubnik

SportsMoney Clemson Doesn’t Look CFP Ready With DJ Uiagalelei, But Here Comes Cade Klubnik Terence Moore Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I deliver my thoughts on all things sports Following New! Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories. Got it! Sep 6, 2022, 07:00am EDT | New! Click on the conversation bubble to join the conversation Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin ATLANTA, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 05: DJ Uiagalelei #5 of the Clemson Tigers looks to rush against Myles .

. . [+] Sims #0 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the third quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 05, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia.

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) Getty Images For everybody waiting for Clemson to become Clemson again in college football, here’s a question: Where in the name of Trevor Lawrence have you been? Just three seasons ago, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney flashed signs of needing another raise despite the 10-year contract extension he signed with the Tigers in April 2019 for $93 million. His team reached the College Football Playoff (CFP) for the sixth consecutive year, and during that stretch, Clemson grabbed two national championships.

OK, OK. Those waiting for Clemson to become Clemson again have their own questions. For instance: The Tigers haven’t made the CFP in three years? What happened the past two years? Will this season produce another disaster (you know, by Clemson’s recent standards) given what we saw Monday night in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium during the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game? Oh, and after many in The Orange Paw Nation just figured out how to spell DJ Uiagalelei, is Cade Klubnik destined to start at quarterback for Clemson by Thanksgiving or Halloween? Clemson beat Georgia Tech in the season opener for both teams along the way to one of the most deceptive 41-10 blowout victories in history.

Simply put, with Uiagalelei playing nothing like Lawrence, the No. 4 Tigers spent much of the evening resembling the No. 40 Tigers before the sellout crowd of 47,712.

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. [+] Leather Helmet after their 41-10 win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 05, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C.

Cox/Getty Images) Getty Images Ever hear of the Cheez-It Bowl? Clemson has. That’s where the Tigers played last year after their string of great seasons turned into just a good one. Even so, they earned a Sugar Bowl berth the year before that.

They were clobbered by Ohio State. And, no, neither the Cheez-It Bowl nor that Sugar Bowl featured Clemson playing for a national championship as one of the CFP’s four teams pocketing $6 million to split with conference members. And, no, during this Georgia Tech game, there was nothing beyond an aggressive defense that made you believe Clemson was returning to past glory instead of another trip to the Cheez-It Bowl — not with Uiagalelei and the rest of the Tigers’ offense looking as disjointed as they did last season.

A silly fumble. A bad snap. A missing running game for long periods, and then a roaring Clemson fan base near the end of the game when backup Cade Klubnik entered for a chance to remove his freshman jitters while preparing to swap places with Uiagalelei sooner rather than later.

“He is just poised out there, man,” Uiagalelei said of Klubnik who promptly closed the game’s scoring by taking Clemson 66 yards on 10 plays to the end zone. While Uiagalelei completed 19 of 32 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown, Klubnik nailed 4 of his 6 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown. Uiagalelei added, “You can tell he is out there confident, playing with a lot of confidence.

He looked great. I didn’t expect nothing less from him. Had a great drive.

And excited to see. He is going to be a baller. He is a good player.

” Clemson partisans want nothing less than great players — especially since those kind have dominated the Tigers’ program in recent years, ranging from Travis Etienne to Deshaun Watson to Lawrence. CLEMSON, SC – NOVEMBER 05: Clemson wide receiver Sean MacLain (88) carries the American Flag down . .

. [+] the hill on Military Appreciation Day during pre-game between the Clemson Tigers and the Syracuse Orange on November 05, 2016, at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, SC. Clemson defeated Syracuse 54-0.

(Photo by Doug Buffington/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images). Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Such excellence has turned Memorial Stadium in the middle of Clemson’s so-called Death Valley into something loud, orange and packed. So, during what officially was a home game for Georgia Tech— since the Yellow Jackets’ campus sits maybe two punts away — this was wonderfully odd for Clemson.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium was loud, orange and packed. The Tigers obliged . .

. barely. Which means the final score was deceptive.

Clemson spent most of the opening three quarters struggling like crazy against a Georgia Tech program with only three victories after each of its previous three seasons. In fact, the Yellow Jackets were so ghastly that they finished last year getting clobbered in back-to-back games to Notre Dame and Georgia by a combined score of 100-0. Nevertheless, Clemson had issues with that Georgia Tech team in Death Valley before surviving 14-8.

It was the third game of the 2021 season for the Tigers, and they began with a loss to eventual national champion Georgia in Charlotte. Then they dropped a game to North Carolina State and another one to Pittsburgh. Then Clemson opened this season looking nothing like Clemson, which really does make you wonder when Clemson will become Clemson again.

Will it happen with Klubnik at quarterback? That’s another question. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn . Check out my website .

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