Injury update on Clemson QB Cade Klubnik after Boston College game
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik left a game with an injury for the first time this season on Saturday night.
Coach Dabo Swinney said his starting QB was dealing with an ankle injury and indicated Klubnik was trying to get back into the game and will be OK going forward — although he didn’t explicitly say that.
Does Swinney think Klubnik will play next week vs. SMU?
“Yeah, absolutely,” Swinney said.
Klubnik left the game in the late third quarter after taking a hard hit from a Boston College defender after a 6-yard rush near the goal line with 1:35 remaining in the quarter. Klubnik was stumbling when he got up after the hit.
Clemson immediately called a timeout. Klubnik exited the game after that play and went into the injury tent and was replaced by backup quarterback Christopher Vizzina. Klubnik’s injury wasn’t immediately clear; on top of taking a hard hit, he also landed awkwardly on his leg on the play in question.
Swinney said that Klubnik had rolled his ankle on the play, adding that Klubnik has been nursing a sore right ankle for a while and has often had it taped up for games.
“They untaped him, retaped him and, like I said, he was ready to go back in,” Swinney said. “I said, ‘Well, let’s just see how CV does right here.’ And it’s good for CV play. Good for him to go in and play.”
On his first pass attempt of the game and second snap, Vizzina threw an interception on a 4th and goal play from Boston College’s 5-yard line.
Clemson led BC 34-10 after three quarters and won 41-10.
As the fourth quarter started, Klubnik’s parents came near the injury tent to await an update on him. Klubnik exited the injury tent and was walking around with his helmet off early in the fourth quarter, about 10 minutes after entering.
Klubnik’s extended time in the injury tent and his family’s rushing to the area indicated there could’ve been something more serious going on, such as a concussion. But Swinney and Klubnik said it was exclusively an ankle injury.
Vizzina stayed in on the Clemson offense’s first possession of the fourth quarter. Klubnik went back into the injury tent briefly, emerged and flashed a thumbs-up to his dad who was seated nearby. The injury tent was taken down after that.
“Hopefully not too bad,” Swinney said of Klubnik’s ankle injury.
What Cade Klubnik said about his injury
Klubnik (22 of 30 for 280 yards, one TD and one interception) spoke with the media postgame, a task that’s generally reserved for healthy players. When asked about his health, Klubnik said he felt “good.”
What happened on the play?
“I don’t really know,” Klubnik said, per TigerNet.com. “I mean, just a couple little things banged up. ... Just a little banged up, took a hit. But, I mean, I feel pretty good. Excited to go attack this week, and I’m excited to go learn from this game.”
Swinney said Clemson trusts backup quarterbacks Vizzina (1 of 3 for -2 yards and 19 rushing yards in relief of Klubnik) and Trent Pearman if Klubnik cannot play against SMU. But he reiterated he thinks Clemson’s star QB won’t be hampered.
“Like I said, he was trying to play tonight,” Swinney said. “I’m sure he’ll be sore tomorrow and we’ll have to evaluate and y’all will ask me every day how he’s doing and I’ll say the exact same thing. I don’t see anything, to this point, that he wouldn’t (play vs. SMU), but it could happen, I guess.”
This story was originally published October 11, 2025 at 10:14 PM.
