Cade Klubnik’s Potential Return Against Duke Could Change Clemson’s Season Destiny—Here’s What to Expect

Clemson’s quarterback saga took a hopeful twist this week as Cade Klubnik, the star signal-caller who’s had a rollercoaster season, was deemed probable for Saturday’s pivotal ACC showdown against Duke. After missing the last outing against SMU due to injury—a game that left the Tigers reeling—Klubnik’s pending return feels like a spark of overdue redemption. His stand-in, sophomore Christopher Vizzina, didn’t just fill shoes; he nearly sprinted out of the starting gate with a poised 317-yard, three-touchdown performance. Yet, Klubnik’s season has been… let’s say, less than stellar for a former five-star prodigy once projected as a top NFL draft pick. With Clemson languishing in 11th place and playoff hopes slipping through their fingers, I can’t help but wonder: Can one player’s comeback really reshuffle the deck that fast? Or is this just the Tigers’ last gasp before shifting focus to bowl aspirations? LEARN MORE.

Star Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik has been listed as probable for Saturday’s key ACC game against conference foe Duke, per the official Clemson injury report and On3 insider Pete Nakos. Klubnik missed Clemson’s last game against SMU due to injury, a 35-24 loss to the Mustangs.

In his place, head coach Dabo Swinney turned to sophomore Christopher Vizzina, who has a considerable amount of hype as a former four-star quarterback out of Birmingham, Alabama. Vizzina played well in his first career start, completing 29 of 42 passes for 317 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.

This season, Klubnik has underwhelmed as the Tigers’ signal caller. Through six games, the senior has 133 completions on 202 attempts, good for a 65.8 completion percentage. However, only 11 touchdowns and five interceptions are not what most expected for the former five-star prospect out of high school. Before the season, many expected Klubnik to be a sure-fire first-round NFL draft pick, with some even giving him first-overall pick hype. Since then, he has slipped out of most first-round mock drafts, seeing his spot replaced by QBs like Dante Moore and Fernando Mendoza.

Over his career, he has played well for the Tigers. Klubnik has 68 career touchdown passes along with 8,710 yards. His yards rank fifth all-time in Clemson history, and his touchdowns rank fourth.

Can Clemson still make a run for the ACC Championship?

While it is still technically possible for Clemson to make a run for the ACC Championship and thus the College Football Playoff, time is running out quickly. The Tigers currently stand 11th in the conference standings with a 2-3 overall record. They’ll need Georgia Tech and Virginia to lose at least one game, and they’ll need to win their final three ACC games to have a chance, among many other factors that will influence their position in the race. It’s much more realistic for Clemson to begin looking towards even making a bowl game.

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