Nolan Hauser spent Saturday night doing what few college kickers get the chance to do: carrying the scoring load almost by himself.
Hauser tied his career high with five field goals, and Clemson’s defense made Georgia Southern miserable all night in a 22-7 Tigers win at Memorial Stadium. The game didn’t even start on time.
A nearly two-hour pregame lightning delay pushed kickoff to just after 9:30 p.m. ET, the latest home kickoff in program history, and the game finally wrapped up at 1:07 a.m.
ET Sunday.
Clemson came out of the delay and immediately found its footing. Christopher Vizzina hit T.J.
Moore on a 10-yard touchdown pass to open the scoring, a drive made possible after long snapper Jackson Reach recovered a muffed punt for his first career fumble recovery. The Tigers needed just seven plays to turn that break into a 7-0 lead.
Moore was Clemson’s top receiving threat, finishing with 103 yards on seven catches and that touchdown. Freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds also got involved, entering in the first quarter and throwing for 178 yards on 16-of-27 passing.
The defense did plenty of heavy lifting, too. Clemson held Georgia Southern to 111 yards and six three-and-outs in the first half, with defensive end Will Heldt setting the tone early.
He got his first sack of the season on the Eagles’ opening possession to force a three-and-out, then added another sack in the second quarter for his first multi-sack game as a Tiger. Heldt finished with three tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.
Ashton Hampton chipped in with three breakups and two tackles.
Hauser’s first field goal came from 20 yards early in the second quarter to make it 10-0. Georgia Southern finally answered with 4:54 left before halftime, when Max Johnson connected with Ashton Hollins on a 42-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead. But Hauser closed the half with a 38-yard field goal as time expired, sending Clemson into the locker room up 16-7.
Neither offense found much rhythm in a scoreless third quarter, and Clemson’s defense kept the pressure on. Georgia Southern was forced into a 53-yard field-goal try in the fourth quarter, but the kick came up short and gave Clemson the ball at its own 36.
That set up the final push from Hauser. He drilled a 50-yarder with 6:26 left, then capped his night with a 49-yard field goal, his fifth of the game, to stretch the lead to 22-7 with 3:10 remaining.
Georgia Southern made one last run, marching 72 yards on 11 plays, but Clemson slammed the door by stopping the Eagles on downs at the Tigers’ three-yard line. From there, Clemson took over and ran out the clock.
In Other News...
Clemson Got The Win But A Bigger Offensive Concern Just Emerged
Clemson got back in the win column in its home opener with a 22-7 victory over Georgia Southern, a result that offered some relief after the loss to LSU but also came with a familiar-looking offensive grind. The defense did its part, limiting Georgia Southern to 266 yards and recording three sacks, while Nolan Hauser was perfect on five field goal tries to help keep the Tigers in control even when the offense never fully found a rhythm.
The bigger concern emerged at quarterback, where Christopher Vizzina got the start but was knocked out by injury and replaced by Tait Reynolds, who handled the entire second half. For a Clemson offense still searching for consistency, any disruption under center adds another layer of uncertainty, and the Tigers will now have to see how serious the issue is before turning the page to the next stretch of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Dabo Swinney Has One Clemson Problem He Must Solve Fast
Clemsons second game offered a little of what Dabo Swinney needed to see and a little of what he didnt. The defense looked sharper, the special teams held up, and Tom Allens group again showed the kind of competitiveness and cohesion that can keep the Tigers afloat while the offense searches for answers. Even with those positives, the biggest concern remains the same: Clemson is still trying to find an identity on that side of the ball.
Tait Reynolds stepped in after the injured starter went down and looked like the most likely quarterback of the future, flashing enough potential to make the job feel like his to lose. But the growing pains were obvious, and the larger issue goes beyond one player. The offensive line has drawn criticism, the scheme coordination has been uneven, and Clemson cannot afford to let those problems linger if it wants the rest of this season to mean anything. [Read more 🡒]
Clemsons ACC Opener Just Got Much Tougher Than Fans Expected
Clemson opened the 2026 season the right way with a 22-7 home win over Georgia Southern, but the celebration came with an immediate concern at quarterback. Christopher Vizzina left early with an elbow injury, and the Tigers had to lean on true freshman Tait Reynolds for most of the afternoon as they handled the opener at home.
The timing only makes the situation more delicate with the ACC schedule arriving quickly. Clemson is preparing to face North Carolina next, and the depth chart could look very different by then, with Reynolds in line to take the first snap if Vizzina is not ready. For a team trying to build early momentum, the opener now carries a little more weight than the final score suggested. [Read more 🡒]