No. 23 Clemson outclasses Virginia Tech

Cade Klubnik tossed three second-half touchdown passes as No. 23 Clemson overcame Virginia Tech 24-14 Saturday night in Atlantic Coast Conference play at Blacksburg, Va.With the win, Clemson improves to 7-2 and 5-1 in the ACC. They are one of three teams with one loss in the conference behind SMU. Virginia Tech is 5-5 and 3-3 in conference play.After a sloppy first half that saw Klubnik go 8-for-19 in the air, throw an interception at the Hokies’ 4-yard line, and take a sack to end another promising drive on fourth down, he showed athleticism and accuracy in the second.Klubnik had two first-down runs on the Tigers’ first drive of the second half to keep the chains moving, and connected with speedy wide receiver Cole Turner on a 29-yard pump-and-go for his first score to tie the score at 7.On the next Tigers’ drive, facing a third-and-seven, Klubnik evaded Virginia Tech defensive back Mansoor Delane, who came free on a blitz, and found T.J. Moore all alone behind the defense for a 41-yard score to make it 14-7.Clemson cornerback Ashton Hampton would make a brilliant one-armed interception of Virginia Tech quarterback Kyren Drones on the next Hokies’ drive and Clemson would march 93 yards on 10 plays with Klubnik connecting with Jake Briningstool for a 12-yard TD pass with 13:08 left. That catch gave Briningstool the most receptions for a tight end in Clemson history. He now has 114.Drones was replaced on the next drive by Collin Schlee, who threw a touchdown pass with 1:43 left.

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