Going bowling: Clemson takes care of business vs. Furman, hits 6 wins
Clemson football needed a stress-free game.
And the Tigers got that on Saturday ... mostly.
Clemson earned a 45-10 win against Furman at Memorial Stadium on its Senior Day. The win clinched a 27th straight season of bowl eligibility for the Tigers (6-5) ahead of next week’s big game against in-state rival South Carolina in Columbia.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and his staff accomplished their main goals of earning a no-doubt win and playing second-string and third-string players most of the second half against an FCS team in its home finale. But the Tigers did suffer injuries to starters that could impact them as they prepare for the Gamecocks.
And they had to sub their starting defense back into the game in the fourth quarter after Furman cut the deficit to 31-10 and advanced the ball into Clemson territory with a chance to make it a two-possession game in the fourth quarter.
But the end result was a comfortable 35-point win. Clemson moved to 40-0 against FCS teams and won a 33rd straight game against Furman, though the Tigers failed to cover the game’s massive spread (41.5 points).
Clemson also finishes with a losing home record (3-4) for the first time since 1998.
But after a disastrous 3-5 start to a season in which they were expected to be a national title contender, the Tigers have now rallied for three straight wins against Florida State, Louisville and Furman and will head into the USC game with a chance to win out and finish 8-5.
But it’ll be tough sledding against the Gamecocks, who moved to 4-7 with a 51-7 win against Coastal Carolina on Saturday, have hung with a number of ranked SEC teams this year and have won two of their last three vs. Clemson.
“It’s not what we were shooting for coming into the season, but you’ve gotta respond to where you are,” Swinney said postgame. “To see them respond that way and do something like that is awesome. We’ve just gotta see if we can keep building momentum.”
Game recap
The Tigers wasted no time getting on the board against the Paladins (6-6).
Cade Klubnik and the first-team offense racked up chunk plays and scored points on their first three drives and four of their first five overall. Redshirt junior receiver Antonio Williams was especially effective with receiving touchdowns of 22 and 35 yards and a big first-quarter punt return.
Clemson’s defense also held strong by pitching a shutout up until the final minute of the first half against a Furman passing offense that’s been one of the better in the FCS this season. Defensive end Will Heldt had a strip-sack, and linebacker Sammy Brown had an interception.
But both starting units had notable injury losses, as tight end Olsen Patt-Henry and defensive end Jahiem Lawson each left the game with foot/leg injuries.
After subbing in for Klubnik, backup quarterback Christopher Vizzina threw a short touchdown pass to give the team a 31-0 lead but was largely ineffective otherwise, going 9 of 15 for 52 yards and scoring on just one of five drives.
Furman out-gained Clemson 90-55 in the third quarter and outscored the Tigers 7-0 in the period, prompting Swinney to put his first-team defense back into the game with the Paladins in position to cut the score to two possessions.
But Clemson’s starters got a third-down stop, Furman’s kicker missed from 42 yards and the Tigers scored on their next possession when true freshman QB Chris Denson gave them a huge boost with his legs and threw a short TD (38-10).
Furman coach Clay Hendrix said his quarterback underthrew a receiver on what would’ve been a wide-open touchdown on a third and 15 on Clemson’s 25 against the first-team defense. Had he scored, it would’ve been a 31-17 game.
“When you get a chance to make that play against Clemson, you’ve gotta make that play,” Hendrix said. “... We left a couple plays out there, but every game’s that way.”
Denson ripped off a 50-yard run that set up Clemson’s dagger touchdown and later had another rushing score. The true freshman lefty finished with six carries for 106 yards and had Clemson’s most yards per carry by a quarterback since 1947.
His flashy play energized the crowd and helped Clemson close out an FCS game that got tenser than imagined in the fourth quarter.
Swinney’s 2025 Clemson team became just the fourth Clemson team in program history to go from 1-3 to bowl-eligible in 30 instances of the Tigers losing three of their first four games. The longtime coach said it’s a sign of his team’s fight.
“We’re playing our best football right now,” Swinney said. “It’s been fun to watch them grow, fun to watch them battle. ... They’ve responded in a courageous way.”
Next Clemson football game
- Who: Clemson (6-5) at South Carolina (4-7)
- When: Noon Saturday, Nov. 29
- Where: Williams Brice Stadium in Columbia
- Watch: SEC Network
This story was originally published November 22, 2025 at 7:52 PM.
