Another Clemson streak was snapped this past weekend as the Tigers (4-4, 2-4 ACC) picked up their second consecutive regular-season loss for the first time since 2011. While the defeat against NC State appears to embody a fall from the ACC dominance Clemson enjoyed throughout the last decade, the Tigers still have four guaranteed chances to salvage a disappointing season and finish strong.

After taking the brunt of criticism following the road defeat, quarterback Cade Klubnik met with the media Monday, sharing concrete improvements his team needs to make to generate wins as the season closes.

–Before Clemson scored 10 unanswered points to cut a three-score deficit to a touchdown in the fourth quarter, the Tigers struggled to gain any offensive momentum, racking up six punts, a missed field goal and two thrown interceptions by Klubnik. “I wish that we would have had a higher intensity in the first half. You know, we would like to not be down 17 points for our intensity to really get hot as an offense.”

–Klubnik went on to express the importance of setting the “tone” for the game in the first offensive series of each half. “One goal that I would love is to start the first drive of the game and the first drive of the second half, I would love to get points on the board every single time. I don’t think that we’ve done that other than the FAU game… I think that we need to get better at just coming out hot.”

–The Tigers are responsible for 15 turnovers this year, including 10 lost fumbles, tied for second most in the FBS. Klubnik attributes these mistakes to miscommunications or small errors that allow costly issues to fester. “It’s just getting the right signals right, certain little things, just finishing little things that we just got to get better at.”

Clemson has a chance to begin a new win streak this weekend as the Tigers return to Memorial Stadium to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-2). The Tigers and Irish will kick off at noon Saturday (ABC).

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