TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Clemson got three total touchdowns from quarterback Tait Reynolds, while kicker Nolan Hauser drilled five field goals, as the Tigers punked Florida State 36-24 at Doak Campbell Stadium.

After Florida State cut a 19-point Tigers’ lead to five points, Reynolds broke containment and raced 79 yards for a TD on third-and-19 to seal the victory.

The win marked the fifth consecutive time Clemson (5-3. 3-2 ACC) won in Tallahassee, dating to the 2016 season. The Tigers tied Miami for the second longest win streak over the Seminoles in Tallahassee. Florida owns the record with six straight over FSU (3-5, 1-3 ACC) in Doak Campbell.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Clemson defense was relentless for three quarters. The Tigers held the Seminoles to 220 yards before quarterback Ashton Daniels and the Seminoles offense went off in the fourth quarter. After he ran for a 13-yard TD to cut the Clemson lead to 29-18, on the next drive Daniels found Jason Lopez behind the secondary for 41-yard TD, cutting the Clemson lead to five points, 29-24.
• That is when Reynolds sealed the win for the Clemson when he raced 79 yards for a TD down the far sideline with 3:17 to play.
• Clemson has won 10 of the last 11 games against the Seminoles.
• Daniels threw for 350 yards and 2 TDs, but he turned the football over four times – three interceptions and a fumble. The fumble came on a fourth down play after he picked up the first down on a potential scoring drive.
• Clemson’s Elliot Washington had two of those three interceptions. Jerome Carter had one.
• Besides forcing four turnovers, Clemson held the Noles to 1-for-10 on third down and to 65 rushing yards.
• Reynolds finished the night with 189 passing yards and 2 TDs on 18 of 32 passing. He also ran for 85 yards on 14 carries and a TD.
• Hauser was 5-for-5 on his field goal attempts. He made kicks of 35, 35, 50, 46 and 49 yards.
• The Clemson defense record four sacks for a third consecutive game – the first time that has happened since 2022.
• Clemson threw its first touchdown pass since Sept. 19, as quarterback Tait Reynolds threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Christian Bentancur with 10:37 to play in the first quarter.
• Clemson built a 23-10 halftime lead, thanks to two Daniels’ interceptions. The Tigers converted those two turnovers into 10 points, a four-yard Reynolds to Olsen Patt-Henry TD pass and a 50-yard Hauser field goal as time expired.
• Jerome Carter II, whose dad intercepted Clemson in the 2005 Clemson-FSU game, grabbed an interception with 4:40 to play in the first half. The pick gave Clemson the ball at its own 49. The Tigers cashed it with the Reynolds-to-Patt-Henry TD.
• Elliot Washington grabbed Clemson’s second interception of the half on the Seminoles’ next possession. Daniels threw an ill-advised pass that Washington came back to snag the interception with 52 seconds to play in the half. That led to Hauser’s 50-yard field goal as time expired.  

INJURY UPDATE

Clemson starting left guard Elyjah Thurmon had to be stretchered off the field after suffering a scary head injury in the second quarter.

According to a Clemson spokesman, Thurmon is being taken to the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital for further evaluation. His mom is with him.

At halftime, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney was asked by ACC Network sideline reporter Madison Fitzpatrick if there was any update on Thurmon that he could provide.

“I can’t, other than he was responsive and moving,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. “But nothing at this time.”

UP NEXT

Clemson stays on the road next week and travels to Syracuse for a noon kick.