CLEMSON, S.C. — Starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei was sharp Saturday, and that masked some early defensive issues for Clemson in its annual tune-up game against an in-state FCS program.
The fifth-ranked Tigers cruised past Furman, 35-12, behind Uiagalelei’s 267 total yards and two touchdowns to move to 2-0 on the season.
Uiagalelei completed 21 of 27 passes and racked up a 166.7 quarterback rating while leading five touchdown drives in his first five series and moving well as a scrambler.
Big days from running back Will Shipley (68 total yards, two touchdowns) and wide receiver Beaux Collins (57 yards, one touchdown) also aided Clemson as it won a 35th consecutive home game at Memorial Stadium.
The Tigers were a 44.5-point betting favorite, but the 23-point final margin fell well below that number and marked Clemson’s lowest margin of victory against an FCS opponent since Wofford in 2011 (+8). Furman also outgained Clemson 384-376 on offense.
Clemson’s defense was lights out in Monday’s 41-10 win over Georgia Tech and ended up holding its own Saturday with two forced turnovers and eight tackles for loss.
But the Paladins gashed the Tigers for a number of big plays, especially on screen passes and in the first half. Clemson ended up surrendering two runs of 10-plus yards and seven completions of 15-plus yards to Furman, which competes in the FCS Big South Conference.
Linebacker Trenton Simpson led the Tigers defensively with eight total tackles, linebacker Barrett Carter nabbed a third-quarter interception and defensive backs Malcolm Greene and Fred Davis II combined for a key second-quarter forced fumble and recovery.
Playing on a five-day turnaround, its quickest since 2016, Clemson won its 19th consecutive home opener and moved to 37-0 all time against FCS opponents.
What about Cade Klubnik?
Considering Saturday’s reduced stakes, all eyes were once again on the Tigers’ quarterback situation: specifically, the separation between starter Uiagalelei and freshman backup Cade Klubnik, who dazzled in his sole drive against Georgia Tech Monday.
After a slow start against the Yellow Jackets, Uiagalelei wasted no time heating up Saturday and led Clemson on consecutive 75-yard touchdown drives in the first quarter while spreading the ball out to nine different pass catchers by game’s end.
Uiagalelei’s 40-yard bomb to Collins and 25-yard laser to Joseph Ngata set Clemson up for its opening score, a one-yard Shipley rush, and after a Furman field goal he ended an 11-play drive with a two-yard toss to tight end Jake Briningstool.
More Uiagalelei efficiency and second-quarter touchdowns by running backs Shipley and Kobe Pace gave Clemson a 28-9 halftime lead. Between those scores, the Paladins got on the board with a 25-yard strike from quarterback Tyler Huff to tight end Ryan Miller.
Klubnik got one first-half series with Clemson leading 21-3 but couldn’t get anything going like he did against Georgia Tech; the freshman was low on a pass to Antonio Williams and took a running out of bounds sack to end a five-play, 11-yard drive.
Uiagalelei stayed in on Clemson’s next five drives, and the Tigers expanded their lead to 35-9 after he dropped a fade route in the bucket to Collins for a nine-yard score.
The Tigers turned the ball over twice in the second half on a tip-ball interception that looked like a miscommunication between Uiagalelei and receiver Brannon Spector and a muffed punt by receiver Will Taylor, but an improved defense held Furman to just seven second-half points.
That was the story of the final 30 minutes as Clemson’s offense ran dry (70 second-half total yards) and Klubnik went three and out on his only other series.
Klubnik finished 1 for 4 for -2 yards and rushed twice for -2 yards on two series (eight snaps).
