BERKELEY, CALIF. - Clemson didn’t need a polished night from Tait Reynolds to leave California with a win. It needed enough help around its freshman quarterback to survive his mistakes, and that’s exactly what it got in a 24-10 victory over Cal on Sept. 25.
Reynolds’ second start was messy from the start. On Clemson’s opening drive, offensive coordinator Chad Morris dialed up a flea-flicker, but the deep shots to T.J.
Moore and Bryant Wesco Jr. never materialized against two high safeties. With his other option open on an over route, or the chance to simply get rid of the ball, Reynolds forced it to Moore and was picked off.
The freshman’s next major miscue came later in the quarter. With pressure closing in and no clean target available, he rolled out instead of taking the safe play, trying to extend the snap with his legs. The result was a fumble, and Cal turned it into its only touchdown of the game.
Those were the kinds of errors that showed up publicly. There could have been more.
“He should’ve had another interception,” Dabo Swinney said. “That turnover margin, I mean, we got to get that fixed.”
Still, Clemson walked away 2-0 with Reynolds as the starter because the rest of the team kept bailing him out. The Tigers leaned on a defense that shut Cal down and an offense that finally found a rhythm on the ground.
Gideon Davidson and Elliott Washington II were again at the center of it. Against North Carolina, Davidson had his first career touchdown and his first 100-yard rushing game. Washington, the Penn State transfer, came away with his first Clemson interception in a game-sealing moment.
They both topped that Friday.
Davidson ran for a career-best 159 yards and scored twice for the first time in his career. Clemson’s offensive line, which looked overwhelmed in the 51-10 loss to LSU in Week 1, gave him much better support.
That unit had surrendered 19 combined sacks, tackles for loss and QB hurries against LSU. Against Cal, it allowed seven as Clemson piled up 255 rushing yards on 49 carries.
“He’s the man,” Reynolds said of Davidson. “What a stud he is.”
Washington added two interceptions, jumping on Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele early and then again late in the fourth quarter to close the door. Ashton Hampton, who figures to be Clemson’s future first-round corner, also broke up three passes in key spots.
The Tigers held Cal scoreless, their first shutout of an opponent since a 31-3 win over Boston College in 2022.
The biggest swing of the night came in the third quarter, when Bryant Wesco Jr. turned a punt return into a 65-yard touchdown and put Clemson in front for good. The score carried extra weight for Wesco after the spine injury he suffered on a punt return against SMU more than a year ago.
It also carried some history. Clemson’s previous punt return touchdown came in 2018, the same season the Tigers won the national championship with a 44-16 victory over Alabama at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, the last time they had played in California.
“And '18 was a pretty good year for us, so maybe that's a good sign,” Swinney said.
Clemson is still a work in progress, but it heads into Oct. 3 with a 3-1 record and no losses in ACC play before what could be its biggest test yet against Miami. Swinney called the Hurricanes “may be the best team in the country,” and said the Tigers still have plenty to clean up.
“We're a long way away from hoisting a trophy or anything like that,” he said. “But at the end of the day, we're 3-1, we're still undefeated in the league and just got to keep finding a way to keep growing.”
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Tait Reynolds Now Carries Clemsons Biggest Question Under Dabo Swinney
Clemsons recent offensive unevenness has put the spotlight squarely on the quarterback spot, and true freshman Tait Reynolds has stepped into the conversation at a time when the Tigers need clarity. After earning the starting job, Reynolds showed progress in his first start, giving the staff a glimpse of what he might bring as the season moves along and the offense looks for more stability under Dabo Swinney.
Reynolds also lands in a larger story about how Clemson has managed the position during Swinneys tenure, where the Tigers have cycled through eras of consistency and uncertainty at quarterback. For now, the intrigue is less about where Reynolds came from than what he can do next, because his development may end up shaping whether Clemson can settle its biggest question on offense. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Just Took A Painful Backfield Hit Fans Feared
Clemsons backfield took an immediate hit Saturday when David Eziomume was carted off with a left leg injury in the first quarter against Cal, a scene that quickly changed the mood around the game. Dabo Swinney said afterward the injury didnt look good and warned it could be season-ending, though the Tigers are still waiting on a formal diagnosis.
For a Clemson offense that has leaned on its depth in the run game, losing Eziomume so early is a tough blow, especially with the season still offering plenty of important work ahead. Eziomume later took to social media to thank people for their support and express optimism about his recovery, but for now the focus is on what the medical outlook will mean for Clemson moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Faces A Big Tait Reynolds Test At California
Clemson heads west for an ACC matchup at California looking to build on its win over North Carolina and move to 3-1. The setting changes a little at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, but the bigger shift may be under center, where Tait Reynolds is expected to make his second career start for the Tigers.
Reynolds next step comes with a real test attached, because Californias defense has been tough on opposing passers and has done a good job of limiting clean throws all season. For Clemson, this is the sort of game that can tell you a lot about how comfortable the offense is becoming with its young quarterback, especially in a road environment where every mistake tends to matter a little more. [Read more 🡒]