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Ranking the Top 10 Individual Performances of the 2025 Clemson Football Season

Clemson may have finished just 7-6, but there were a handful of memorable performances even in a down year.
Angelo Feliberty|
Adam Randall finishes No. 1 on the list after amassing 132 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns against No. 20 Louisville.
Adam Randall finishes No. 1 on the list after amassing 132 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns against No. 20 Louisville. | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

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Clemson Tigers

As the 2026 Clemson Football season approaches, it's given us at Clemson Tigers on SI the chance to take a look back at what went right for the program in 2025 after finishing just 7-6. Today, we'll be drawing attention to the top 10 individual performances of the 2025 season. Without these performances, the Tigers likely finish under .500 and miss a bowl game entirely.

10. Ronan Hanafin vs. No. 9 LSU

Stat line: 12 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 pass deflection and 1 forced fumble

Entering the 2025 season, the Clemson season-opener versus LSU was one of the most exciting Week 1 matchups to look forward to, with both programs ranked in the top 10 and the Tigers coming off their first College Football Playoff appearance since 2020.

However, what looked like a marquee matchup between two powerhouses ultimately served as an early preview of two disappointing seasons. Nevertheless, amid the wreckage of unmet expectations, one player stood out: Ronan Hanafin. In the converted safety's first career start, he totaled 12 tackles — the most by a Clemson player in the 2025 regular season — 1 for a loss, 1 pass deflection and 1 forced fumble.

Clemson safety Ronan Hanafin accounted for 12 tackles, the most by a Tiger in the 2025 regular season, against LSU in Week 1.
Clemson safety Ronan Hanafin accounted for 12 tackles, the most by a Tiger in the 2025 regular season, against LSU in Week 1. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

9. Christopher Vizzina vs. SMU

Stat line: 29-of-42 for 317 yards, three touchdowns

With Vizzina now entering 2026 as the projected starting quarterback for the Tigers following the departure of three-year starter Cade Klubnik, it's only right that we add this performance to the list.

While the Mustangs' passing defense was one of the worst in all of FBS in 2025, that doesn't take away from the fact that the Birmingham, Alabama, native impressed in his first career start, throwing for 300+ yards and three touchdowns while filling in for an injured Klubnik.

8. Bryant Wesco Jr. vs. Georgia Tech

Stat line: 7 receptions for 126 yards, 1 touchdown

Fresh off an 118-yard, 2-touchdown performance against Troy the week prior, Wesco followed up his phenomenal start to the season with an elite showing against a very talented Georgia Tech defense.

In the Week 3 matchup, the sophomore put up his second 100-yard game of the season, with one of his catches going for a 73-yard touchdown to take the lead. The 126 receiving yards was the second-most in a single-game by a Clemson wideout in 2025.

7. T.J. Moore vs. SMU

Stat line: 5 receptions for 124 yards, 2 touchdowns

In the two weeks before matching up against the Mustangs, Moore saw polar opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of production. Against North Carolina, he had over 100 yards and one touchdown; however, against Boston College, he caught just one pass for 11 yards.

Looking to stay consistent, Moore turned in the best statistical performance of his career, catching five passes — including an outstanding one-hand scoring grab — for 124 yards (career-high) and two touchdowns. Additionally, he was instrumental to Vizzina's impressive performance in the contest, as Wesco unfortunately suffered a season-ending injury in the third quarter, leaving a heavy amount of the pass-catching duties on Moore's shoulders.

Moore's 124 yards was the third-most in a single-game by a Clemson wideout in 2025.

6. Sammy Brown vs. No. 20 Louisville

Stat line: 11 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 1 sack

Linebacker Sammy Brown was one of, if not the most vital piece to the Clemson defense in 2025 and that showed against the Cardinals.

Entering the matchup, the Tigers came in with a measly 4-5 record while Louisville was ranked No. 20 nationally and won three of their last four contests. The game had high stakes for Clemson, as a win essentially locked them in for a bowl game, with FCS opponent Furman coming the week after. With those stakes at hand, Brown turned one of the best performances of his two-year collegiate career, making 11 tackles, two for a loss and one sack to lead his team to a much-needed 20-19 win.

Brown earned ACC Linebacker of the Week for his performance.

5. Antonio Williams vs. Duke

Stat line: 10 receptions for 142 yards, 1 receiving touchdown, 3 carries, 22 yards, 1 rushing touchdown

While Williams didn't have as impressive a season this past year due to injuries, his performance against the 2025 ACC Champions won't be forgotten, regardless of the loss.

In the Week 10 matchup against the Blue Devils, Williams recorded a season-high in both receptions and yards, accounting for 10 catches and 142 yards to go with a four-yard touchdown. Moreover, he added 22 yards and one score on the ground.

Williams' showing against Duke was the best single-game receiving performance by a Clemson wideout in 2025, and it nearly matched his career-best — 149 yards against Pittsburgh in 2024 — falling just seven yards short.

4. Ricardo Jones vs. South Carolina

Stat line: 2 interceptions, 1 pass deflection, 1 pick-six

Regardless of the records, the annual Palmetto Bowl is always one of the most intriguing and, recently, closest games of the year. In 2025, Jones indeed made it intriguing, but didn't make it all too close, locking down the Gamecocks' passing game.

In the 28-14 win, the 6-foot-2 ball hawk nabbed two interceptions off South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, with one of them being a game-sealing pick-six with 3:30 left to go in the fourth quarter. The performance, and more specifically the play, is one of the most memorable recent moments in the rivalry, even though Jones took his talents elsewhere following the season's end.

3. Cade Klubnik vs. Duke

Stat line: 27-of-36 for 385 yards, 2 touchdowns

While Klubnik entered the 2025 season as a projected first-round pick and a Heisman candidate, which he ultimately didn't live up to, there were still a handful of memorable moments from the senior, and the Duke game was one of them.

In the contest, Klubnik was fresh off missing the team's matchup against SMU due to an ankle sprain he suffered against Boston College. However, that didn't stop him from putting up his best performance through the air of his four-year career.

The dual-threat signal caller finished the controversial loss with a 75% completion percentage, 385 passing yards (career-high) and two touchdowns while battling through a quadriceps contusion.

2. T.J. Parker vs. South Carolina

Stat line: 4 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery

Similar to Klubnik, Parker failed to live up to the high expectations he had in 2025, coming off a sophomore season that saw him total 57 tackles, 19.5 for a loss, 11 sacks and six forced fumbles. However, he laid it all out in the final game of his collegiate career.

In the 2025 Palmetto Bowl, the 6-foot-3, 260-pound edge rusher was the most disruptive defensive lineman in Williams-Brice Stadium, racking up three sacks against the Gamecocks. Prior to the contest, he had just two sacks all season.

Parker's showing against South Carolina was the best single-game sack performance by a Clemson defensive lineman in 2025 and nearly matched his career-high of 4 sacks against Pittsburgh in 2024.

1. Adam Randall vs. No. 20 Louisville

Stat line: 15 carries, 105 rushing yards, 2 rushing touchdowns, 3 receptions, 27 receiving yards

Ahead of the 2025 season, Randall made the switch from wide receiver to running back following an essentially game-sealing return in the 2024 ACC Championship and a 4-carry, 44-yard rushing performance in the first round of the 2024 College Football Playoff against Texas. This transition would make him one of Clemson's most important offensive pieces in 2025 and ultimately get him drafted.

That importance was never more on display than when the Tigers needed him most, in a 4-5 hole against a ranked Louisville team with bowl eligibility on the line. Randall carried the ball 15 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns — including the game-winner — while also showcasing his ability as a pass-catcher, hauling in three passes for 27 yards.

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Angelo Feliberty
ANGELO FELIBERTY

Angelo Feliberty is a Sports Communication major who got his start with The Tiger newspaper at Clemson University starting as a contributor and working his way up to senior reporter covering multiple sports for the Clemson Tigers. A native of Myrtle Beach, S.C., Feliberty was a three-year letterman in track at Myrtle Beach High School.

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