On Saturday the App State Mountaineers traveled to Clemson, South Carolina, to face the Tigers. Clemson won the game convincingly, 66-20. 

The Tigers opened the game with a score after quarterback Cade Klubnik connected with wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. for a 76-yard passing touchdown on their third offensive play of the game. 

The Mountaineers responded with a six-play drive that stalled out around midfield. 

Clemson extended their lead on a 1-yard rush from Klubnik, set up by a 52-yard pass from Klubnik to Bryant Jr., to go up 14-0. 

App State would respond with a three and out, failing to get anything going. 

Clemson kept plugging away, scoring a third touchdown in the first eight minutes with an 83-yard rushing touchdown from running back Phil Mafah. After another Mountaineer drive stalled out, Clemson extended their lead even further with Klubnik connecting with tight end Jake Briningstool for a 41-yard touchdown.

The Tigers kept rolling as wide receiver Antonio Williams caught a 29-yard touchdown pass to go up 35-0 with 1:11 remaining in the first quarter. 

The Mountaineers spent the first quarter offensively in their own territory, never reaching the other half of the field. The Black and Gold accrued 58 total yards in the first quarter. 

Clemson on the other hand ended the first quarter with five touchdowns — two rushing, and three passing — on 349 yards of offense in the first quarter. 

Clemson opened the second quarter with another Klubnik rushing touchdown, to put the Tigers up 42-0.

App State finally reached Tiger territory with 12:29 remaining in the second quarter. The Mountaineers struck paydirt with 10:39 left in the second quarter off a 4-yard rushing touchdown run by redshirt junior running back Anderson Castle. 

Clemson found the end zone for a seventh time in the first half, after wide receiver T.J. Moore caught a 33-yard touchdown pass, Klubnik’s fourth passing, and sixth total in the first half. 

App State followed up with a 3 and out, but on the punt, Clemson returner Antonio Williams fumbled, and Mountaineer defender Andre Hamilton recovered. The Mountaineers had to settle for a field goal, ending the drive down 49-10. 

Clemson did not slow down, scoring for the eighth time in the first half, with Brinningstool getting his second touchdown of the day for a 17-yard score. 

The Mountaineers received the ball with 54 seconds remaining in the first half, and ended the half with a field goal. 

The Black and Gold went into halftime down 56-13. Clemson ended the half with 525 total yards of offense, 378 of them through the air. App State ended the half with 199 yards of total offense. Fifty-six points set a record as the most Clemson has scored in a half under head coach Dabo Swinney. 

Clemson’s defense opened up the second half with safety Tyler Venables getting ejected for targeting. The Mountaineers were able to capitalize with a 17-yard touchdown reception by junior wide receiver Makai Jackson, bringing the score to 56-20.

Clemson quarterback Christopher Vizzina came in to relieve Klubnik. Klubnik would end the night going 24 for 26 with 378 passing yards, five passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns.

 On the second offensive drive of the second half for the Tigers, Vizzina punched in a 5-yard touchdown to make it 63-20. On the ensuing kickoff, returner Kanye Roberts fumbled, Clemson’s Peter Nearn recovered, giving the Tigers the ball in the red zone. 

Clemson had to call on kicker Nolan Hauser for the first time. His 36-yard field goal attempt was good, giving the Tigers a 66-20 lead with around two minutes left in the third quarter. 

The Mountaineers opened the fourth quarter with an interception on a throw by redshirt senior wide receiver Kaedin Robinson. Both teams went scoreless the rest of the way and Clemson came out the victors 66-20. 

App State ended the game with 363 total yards of offense. Senior quarterback Joey Aguilar went 18 for 41 with 214 passing yards and an interception. Castle led the rushing effort, boasting 80 yards and a touchdown off of seven carries.

Makai Jackson was the star of the receiving core, catching six balls on eleven targets, for 54 yards and a touchdown. The Mountaineers struggled on the other side of the ball as well, giving up 712 yards of total offense.

“Our standards are our standards, we have to make sure we improve,” head coach Shawn Clark said. “First half, they scored eight touchdowns, seven explosive passes, and one explosive run. That is unacceptable. The second half I thought we came out and competed, we did a better job in the second half. We’re going to turn the page very quick here and get ready for East Carolina.”

App State will look to rebound next week as they head to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium to take on the East Carolina Pirates. The game will kickoff at 4 p.m. on ESPNU.