CHAPEL HILL – Clemson scored 35 first-half points and never looked back, defeating North Carolina 38-10 on Saturday afternoon at Kenan Stadium. The Tigers improved to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play, while the Tar Heels dropped to 2-3 and 0-1.
The visitors wasted no time establishing control. On the game's opening drive, quarterback Antonio Williams connected with T.J. Moore for a 75-yard touchdown pass just 11 seconds into the contest. The one-play, 11-second drive set the tone for an afternoon that would see Clemson's passing attack overwhelm the Tar Heels' secondary.
North Carolina answered with its only sustained drive of the first half, marching 58 yards over 10 plays to set up Rece Verhoff's 35-yard field goal. The 7-3 score represented the closest the Tar Heels would come the rest of the afternoon.
Cade Klubnik took over under center for Clemson and orchestrated three touchdown drives before halftime. He found Adam Randall for a 35-yard score to cap a three-play, 75-yard drive that took just 68 seconds. Later in the quarter, Klubnik hit Christian Bentancur for 45 yards and another touchdown, extending the lead to 21-3. With one second remaining in the first quarter, Klubnik and Randall connected again, this time from 23 yards out, pushing the advantage to 28-3.
The second quarter featured more of the same. Clemson drove 37 yards in six plays, with Klubnik finding Bentancur for an 8-yard touchdown with 2:02 left in the half. The Tigers took a commanding 35-3 lead into the locker room, effectively ending any suspense about the outcome.
Klubnik finished 22-of-24 passing for 254 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. His efficiency was remarkable, completing nearly 92 percent of his attempts and averaging 10.6 yards per completion. Williams, who started the game, was perfect on his lone attempt for 75 yards and a score.
North Carolina quarterback Max Johnson completed 26 of 42 passes for 213 yards but failed to throw a touchdown. The Tar Heels' passing game managed just 5.1 yards per attempt compared to Clemson's 10.2, a disparity that defined the game's flow.
Randall emerged as Clemson's most versatile weapon. He caught four passes for 73 yards and two touchdowns while also contributing 30 yards on eight rushing attempts. Moore led all receivers with 108 yards on five catches, with his opening touchdown accounting for most of that production.
The third quarter passed without any scoring, as both offenses stalled. Clemson punted once and converted a 14-play drive into a field goal attempt that set up the fourth quarter scoring. North Carolina attempted a 50-yard field goal by Verhoff that sailed wide, one of the few times the Tar Heels ventured into Tiger territory during the second half.
Clemson added to its lead early in the fourth quarter when Nolan Hauser connected on a 27-yard field goal, capping a 14-play, 55-yard drive that consumed 5:20 of clock. The field goal came after the Tigers moved from their own 36 to the North Carolina 9-yard line before the drive stalled.
North Carolina's only touchdown came with 10:25 remaining when Benjamin Hall powered in from 11 yards out. The score completed a five-play, 75-yard drive that took 2:55, but by then Clemson led 38-3 and had inserted backup quarterback Christopher Vizzina into the game.
The Tigers' defense held North Carolina to 270 total yards, including just 57 on the ground. The Tar Heels averaged 3.2 yards per rush on 18 attempts, never establishing the ground game necessary to keep drives alive. North Carolina converted just two of 11 third-down attempts and failed on its only fourth-down try.
Clemson's offensive balance kept the Tar Heels' defense off-balance throughout. The Tigers accumulated 488 total yards, distributing the ball to 14 different receivers. Bentancur caught two passes for 53 yards and two scores, while Bryant Wesco Jr. added 42 yards on two receptions.
Defensively, Jaiden Patterson led North Carolina with six solo tackles, while Khmori House contributed seven total tackles with two unassisted. For Clemson, Tyler Venables and Sammy Brown each recorded five tackles, with Brown adding half a tackle for loss.
Key Performances
Clemson:
- Cade Klubnik: 22-of-24 passing, 254 yards, 4 TDs
- T.J. Moore: 5 receptions, 108 yards, 1 TD
- Adam Randall: 4 receptions, 73 yards, 2 TDs; 8 rushes, 30 yards
- Christian Bentancur: 2 receptions, 53 yards, 2 TDs
North Carolina:
- Max Johnson: 26-of-42 passing, 213 yards
- Benjamin Hall: 5 rushes, 24 yards, 1 TD; 1 reception, 14 yards
- Jordan Shipp: 5 receptions, 41 yards
- Jaiden Patterson: 6 solo tackles
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