Desmond Howard buries Cade Klubnik, Clemson College Football Playoff chances

ESPN’s Desmond Howard buried Cade Klubnik and Clemson’s playoff chances because of the quarterback, during Saturday’s College GameDay.

With the way the ACC is right now, only Miami, SMU, or Clemson can win the conference and get to the College Football Playoff. Howard trusts Miami’s Cam Ward over Klubnik right now.

That doesn’t seem like it’s going to change, despite Klubnik and Clemson’s midseason resurgence.

“They still got Cade Klubnik though,” Howard said. “Not sure if I can trust him in a big game. I’m talking about a playoff game.”

This season, Klubnik has 2,563 yards, 24 touchdowns (career high), four interceptions, a 63.4% completion percentage, 341 rushing yards and five rushing yards. On the flip side, Ward has 3,494 yards, 32 touchdowns, six interceptions, a 66.8% completion percentage, 182 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

“It’s tough for me, because I think each team has a flaw, but the most important position in college football is a quarterback position,” Howard said. “So you look at the three teams, SMU, Miami, Clemson, personally, I trust Cam Ward the most of the three quarterbacks, for those three teams to come up with a win.

“I mean, we see him again and again, bringing the team back from, like, double-digit deficits. Now the defense is very suspect. I get that. But I think because they have Cam Ward and he can, you know, save the game, I think I would just have to go Miami (as the best team in the ACC).”

But perhaps Klubnik could be a difference-maker for Clemson in the end. He was told by an opponent through the grapevine that he had Johnny Manziel qualities.

“That’s a pretty big comparison right there, to Johnny Manziel. I’ll take that. But I’m not trying to compare myself to him, because that’s one of the greatest of all time right there. But that’s definitely pretty cool,” Klubnik said. “And I’m always talking smack to (Antonio Williams, my WR who told me) every day about how I’m faster than him. Any time that he gets to say that, I’m going to go talk to him after this and tell him I’m faster than him. Definitely fun to use my legs every once in a while.”

Clemson takes on The Citadel at 3:30 p.m. ET as Klubnik looks to lead the Tigers to win No. 9 on the season.