Clemson maintained its perfect streak in ACC play on Friday night, securing a decisive 24-10 victory over Cal in Berkeley. While the road trip across three time zones presented several challenges, Dabo Swinney’s squad leaned on a suffocating defense and a dominant rushing attack to seal the win. Though the result left fans satisfied, individual performances varied wildly during the contest, leaving some players with soaring reputations and others facing questions heading into next week.
The clear star of the evening was sophomore running back Gideon Davidson, whose stock continues to climb after another marquee outing. Davidson hammered the Golden Bears for 159 yards on 22 carries, including a massive 75-yard touchdown sprint in the fourth quarter that effectively ended any hope of a Cal comeback. By averaging 7.2 yards per carry and scoring twice, Davidson has solidified himself not just as a cornerstone of the Tigers’ offense, but as one of the premier backs in the entire country.
Conversely, freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds experienced the volatility often associated with young signal callers. While he managed 108 passing yards and 28 rushing yards, his mistakes were costly. A first-quarter fumble led directly to Cal’s only touchdown via a scoop-and-score, and struggles with accuracy downfield remained evident throughout the game. As Clemson leans further into its identity as a run-heavy team, Reynolds will need to tighten up his decision-making before meeting Miami next weekend.
Defensively, there were mixed results along the line of scrimmage. Edge rusher Darien Mayo saw his value increase after sliding inside to defensive lineman due to injuries in that group. His six foot seven frame proved disruptive over 40 snaps, highlighted by a critical pass breakup on fourth down. Meanwhile, sophomore defensive tackle Amare Adams struggled to find his rhythm, recording only three total tackles and failing to provide the interior presence Clemson has been seeking throughout the season.
In the secondary, cornerback Elliot Washington II delivered a standout performance that mirrored much of what teammates like Ashton Hampton have provided recently. Washington intercepted Cal quarterback Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele twice—once on both the opening and closing drives—while limiting his targets to just nine yards on a single reception. This surge in confidence comes at a perfect time for the Tiger secondary as they prepare for an upcoming clash with Miami’s high powered passing attack_