It’s halftime in Winston-Salem and the 10th-ranked Clemson Tigers lead the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 28-14. Here’s how the Tigers have built their two-touchdown lead at intermission.
After falling behind 7-0 and allowing points in the first quarter for the first time all year, Clemson’s offense dominated the second quarter by scoring 28 points as Cade Klubnik led the Tigers on four scoring drives — two of which were assisted by key Wake Forest turnovers.
Early in the quarter, Klubnik came up money on 3rd and 7 from just across midfield when he hit Troy Stellato for 19 yards and a first down to the Demon Deacons’ 27-yard line. On another third down, Klubnik stood in the pocket and had time before firing a 22-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Williams. That tied the game at 7-7 after Nolan Hauser’s extra point.
It was Klubnik’s 15th touchdown pass of the season, and it capped an eight-play, 75-yard scoring drive that took 2:53 off the clock.
On Wake Forest’s next drive, quarterback Hank Bachmeier was picked off by safety Kylon Griffin when he tried to force a pass. Griffin tripped on the return but ran it back to the Deacs’ 23 yard line.
From there, Klubnik hit Jake Briningstool for 22 yards to set up first and goal from the 1-yard line. Mafah finished off the drive with a touchdown from a yard out to make it 14-7. That gave Clemson 14 points in a span of one minute, five seconds of game clock.
The Tigers’ defense stepped up again on third down on the Demon Deacons’ next drive when Khalil Barnes caught a tipped pass that fell into his lap for an interception at the 42 yard line.
Later, on 4th and goal at the 2-yard line, Dabo Swinney made the decision to go for it . DeMonte Capehart and Peter Woods checked in as Clemson brought out the jumbo package, and Mafah finished off the drive with a walk-in touchdown for a 21-7 lead. The Tigers had 21 points in 6:53 to that point.
Wake Forest answered on its next drive, picking up two third-down conversions before Bachmeier hit Deuce Alexander for 38 yards to set up first and goal at the Clemson 9-yard line. Bachmeier soon found Michael Frogge for a touchdown with 3:18 to play in the half. Matthew Dennis’ extra point cut the lead to 21-14.
On Clemson’s next possession, Mafah ran for 22 yards and lowered the boom on safety Nick Anderson for a big run out to the 49-yard line. The senior tailback got the ball again on the next snap and went for 15 more before a personal foul was tacked on. That gave Clemson the ball at the Wake Forest 21 with two minutes left in the half.
Two plays later, Klubnik threw a dart to Stellato for the Tigers’ fourth score of the quarter — an eight-yard touchdown that made it 28-14 with 1:31 to play.
At halftime, Clemson has 18 first downs and 293 yards to Wake Forest’s 12 first downs and 195 yards. Klubnik is 17-of-24 for 191 yards and two touchdowns, and Mafah has 91 yards and two scores on 14 carries.