Reynolds' 79-yard run gives Clemson 36-24 win over Florida State

Tait Reynolds ran 79 yards for a touchdown to give Clemson a 36-24 victory over Florida State on Saturday night. The freshman quarterback broke a tackle and sprinted down the sideline for the score with 3:17 remaining in the fourth quarter. It was the longest run by a quarterback in Clemson history.

The win marked a milestone for head coach Dabo Swinney. He tied Bobby Bowden for the most career wins in ACC regular season play. Swinney now has 117 conference victories, matching the mark set by the Florida State legend. Two years ago in the same stadium, Swinney passed Bowden for the overall ACC career win record.

Clemson built a substantial lead in the first half. The Tigers took a 23-10 advantage into the break. Nolan Hauser kicked three field goals, including a 50-yard attempt as time expired. Reynolds also threw for two touchdowns to tight ends Christian Bentancur and Olsen Patt-Henry.

Florida State fought back late in the game. The Seminoles cut the deficit to five points with 5:30 left in the fourth quarter. Clemson then took possession and faced a third-and-12 situation. Reynolds scrambled for the go-ahead score to extend the lead to 36-24.

The Clemson defense forced four turnovers, a season high. Elliot Washington II intercepted Florida State quarterback Ashton Daniels twice. Jerome Carter III also recorded an interception. The defensive line recorded nine tackles for loss, including four sacks. These stops helped prevent Florida State from extending their rally.

Florida State had tied the game at 10-10 early in the second quarter. Gabe Panikowski kicked a 35-yard field goal to level the score. Clemson responded with a drive that ended in a touchdown pass from Reynolds to Patt-Henry. Hauser added two more field goals to pad the first half lead.

Clemson became the third program to win five consecutive road games in Tallahassee. The Tigers join Florida and Miami in that statistical group. Clemson will remain on the road next week against Syracuse. They return home to Memorial Stadium in two weeks to face Georgia Tech.