Klubnik and Mafah spark No. 10 Clemson in a blowout win at Wake Forest

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — The momentum keeps building for No. 10 Clemson.

Cade Klubnik passed for three touchdowns and Phil Mafah added two short touchdown runs as the Tigers rolled past Wake Forest 49-14 on Saturday for their fifth straight win.

Clemson (5-1, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) turned a couple of interceptions into touchdowns as it started to pull away with a 28-point second quarter.

“A lot of good things in the game,” Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said. “It was good to see us able to put them away.”

Klubnik threw for 309 yards on 31-for-41 passing, and Mafah gained 118 yards on 20 carries.

“We got going,” Klubnik said. “Proud of the guys on how we responded and played a great game.”

The Tigers threw in some wrinkles, with receiver Antonio Williams throwing 28 yards to tight end Jake Briningstool for a third-quarter touchdown.

“We find different ways to win each week,” Williams said.

Wake Forest (2-4, 1-2) dropped its fourth consecutive home game. Quarterback Hank Bachmeier was limited to 126 passing yards with a pair of interceptions and two touchdown tosses before he was replaced midway through the third quarter.

“They’re a really good program, so we know when we play them there’s a small margin of error,” Demon Deacons coach Dave Clawson said. “I trust that our players will press on. We’ve got a lot of football left.”

Clemson scored touchdowns on four consecutive possessions to claim a 28-14 halftime lead. Interceptions by Kylon Griffin and Khalil Barnes set up a pair of touchdowns.

“Momentum is a real big thing,” Griffin said. “It’s a real thing. We have to keep building on it and keep creating momentum.”

Mafah scored on 1- and 2-yard runs – the latter on fourth-and-goal. Klubnik’s touchdown tosses went to Williams for 22 yards and Troy Stellato for 8 yards in the first half and to Adam Randall for 9 yards in the third quarter.

Wake Forest opened the scoring on Bachmeier’s 31-yard pass to Horatio Fields for the only TD in the first quarter, marking the first points surrendered by Clemson in an opening quarter this year. He threw to Michael Frogge, who made his first career reception, for a 6-yard scoring play.

“We’re just resilient in everything we do,” Klubnik said. “Just to finish the way we did was awesome.”

Just throw it

Williams embraced the chance to be on the other end of a touchdown play.

“I wanted it bad,” he said when the play came in that called for him to fire a pass. “I wasn’t nervous at all.”

He made his fifth touchdown catch of the season earlier in the game.

Takeaways

Clemson: The Tigers were efficient on offense and encountered few glitches as they picked up their second road victory in as many weeks. With more than 500 yards of total offense that featured plenty of balance and no turnovers, there should be few complaints.

Wake Forest: The good elements ended after the first quarter for Demon Deacons, who forced two Clemson punts early and held a brief lead. This marked Wake Forest’s second home blowout loss to a Top 10 team — they lost big to then-No. 5 Mississippi last month.

Poll implications

The Tigers should hold their spot, though they aren’t likely to move up much unless there’s another rash of upsets later in the day.

Up next

Clemson: Hosts Virginia on Saturday.

Wake Forest: Visits Connecticut on Saturday in a non-conference game.

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