It appears the Clemson Tigers may have to play in the Week 8 matchup against the SMU Mustangs without quarterback Cade Klubnik. After suffering an ankle injury in the 41-10 Week 7 victory over the Boston College Eagles, the Tigers revealed Klubnik's official status for the upcoming contest.
Reports indicate that the 22-year-old quarterback is deemed questionable for the game against SMU, according to Brett McMurphy of On3 Sports. Cade Klubnik's status on Friday could determine his availability for the Tigers.
“Clemson QB Cade Klubnik, who has started 34 consecutive games, listed as questionable against SMU in Thursday night's ACC Availability Report.”
If Klubnik is unable to play, then head coach Dabo Swinney would have to turn to either redshirt sophomore Christopher Vizzina or redshirt junior Trent Pearman. Cade Klubnik has been rather consistent throughout his career, as he has played at least 10 games in his previous three years at Clemson.
Through six games played so far this season, the senior quarterback has thrown for 1,530 yards and 11 touchdowns while recording a 65.8% completion percentage. He's also thrown for five interceptions while totaling 104 rushing yards and an additional two touchdowns on the ground.
After beginning season 1-3, Clemson has strung together two wins straight, bringing their record to 3-3 on the season. A victory over SMU gets the Tigers above .500, which is something the program has not experienced so far in the 2025-26 campaign.
Although the College Football Playoff seems like a long shot, Clemson still has a chance to participate in a bowl game. But before the Tigers can think about that, the team will hope for Cade Klubnik to play on Saturday.
