Clemson Tigers QB Cade Klubnik Says Team Was ‘A Few Plays Away,’ in Upset Loss to Georgia Tech

"We pretty much had a naked rollout off of it, and they brought nickel fire. Normally, I'm supposed to keep on the move, but [Wesco] was right in front of my face and just reset," he stated. "I was really proud of that play and the way that he kept going… it was great to see."

"The last drive in the first half, I just felt really good about where we were," he said. "I felt like we were running up and down [Georgia Tech]."

Regarding his mistakes, he didn't hide behind excuses, explaining and taking accountability for his fumble and interception in the contest.

"The [fumble], it just kinda got away from me. I got to lower my shoulder on the guy, which I feel like I did the rest of the game. I planted weird on my left ankle… the ball got away from me and the guy hit me," he expressed. "The [interception], credit to that safety, made a heck of a play. We were RPO'ing him, and he came all the way down the box. I tried to throw it over him, and he got up and made the play."

The Tigers' final drive, which tied the game, was a direct product of the halftime adjustments Klubnik had highlighted. With the offense playing more precisely, Clemson showcased the perseverance that kept them in the game until the final moments.

"I think we had 10 minutes left [in the last drive]. Go down, tie the game up, and we did. Seeing all that out of our offense is awesome, [we] just persevered the whole day."

Regardless of the loss, the All-ACC quarterback contender still sees his team competing amongst the best in the future, noting that the Tigers are "a few plays away," and still having a lot of faith in their response going forward.

"I'm really proud of us, we're just a few plays away, and that's it," he uttered. "That's what this kind of league is, every week's gonna be a battle, and you just got to keep striving. I'm proud of the way we battled until the end."

"I have a lot of faith. I'm going to show up on Monday with a lot of energy and ready to go because, man, we're so close. That's the hardest part; it'd be one thing to get your tail whooped, but you're right there, so close, and just a few plays away. Just got to keep persevering, watch the tape and go get better."