It’s been quite a roller coaster of emotions for Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik since Saturday afternoon.
The quarterback was upset following the loss to South Carolina on Saturday afternoon, which was a given. The junior sat alone in his car for over an hour to let the emotions settle and think about the contest.
He drove home and did a “complete 180” as he recalled, watching the Syracuse/Miami game in crunch time that saw the Orange upset the Hurricanes, and Clemson was in the ACC Championship.
While the win was a breath of fresh air because the Tigers were back in control of their own destiny, the loss to the in-state rival hurt. The team knew this too.
“I think there’s an excitement and also another emotion of coming off of what we came off of,” Klubnik said on Wednesday, “so all of those emotions that you’re trying to balance, it’s definitely tough at times, especially Sunday and Monday.”
Cade Klubnik
Klubnik compares it to a personal anecdote to anybody: being a kid and having fun but having to stop the fun soon.
“It’s like you’re outside playing with your siblings or your friends or whatever, and you’re mom tells you you’ve gotta come in and she gives you five more minutes,” he said. “We are getting five more minutes to go play. So, we’ve got one more game to play and just another opportunity.”
Cade Klubnik
The opportunity is the best one that the team has had all year. It’s simple: win the ACC Champiosnhip and you guarantee a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, most likely a bye for the No. 4 seed. Lose, and you end the season in a bowl game that does not matter in the long term.
“I’m really excited to get back there,” Klubnik said. “It’s what you chase, and everything goes through that game.”
Many fans across the college football world met Cade Klubnik two years ago on the same stay, being called in for starting quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei and throwing for 279 yards and two total touchdowns, earning the game’s MVP award.
While it was two years ago, the junior is quite fond of those memories still.
“I remember the emotions that I felt that night in pregame, and during the game, and after the game, that feels like just a couple weeks ago,” Klubnik recalls. “It’s still very raw, so bringing back those emotions is definitely something that I’ll be doing and something I have. I’m excited to be back.”
The opportunity is there. There’s light at the end of the tunnel for Clemson, if it executes at a high level that the program has made its standard. According to Klubnik, the coaching staff is well aware of the opportunity at hand.
“Coach Swinney said, ‘God may open the door, but we still have to walk through it,’” Klubnik recalled. “So, time to walk through it but hopefully run through it this time.”
The standout is quite familiar with his opponent, being from Austin, Texas. Only a few hours away from his hometown, the SMU Mustangs ran through the ACC in their opening season in the conference, and Klubnik sees a lot of good things from the squad.
“They’re a great team, and there’s a reason that they’re in the ACC Championship game, and you can’t forget that,” he said. “Definitely not a team that we are overlooking at our, they’re a heck of a team. They’ve got some dudes, they’ve got a great coach. Very well coached and very well disciplined and just play with a fire in them that I really enjoy to watch on film, so it’s definitely a fun opponent.”
Kickoff is set for 8:00 pm and the game will be broadcasted on ABC.
