Cade Klubnik injury: Clemson QB likely to miss SMU game, Christopher Vizzina expected to start

Clemson will likely turn to Christopher Vizzina as its starting quarterback against SMU, according to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz and Richard Johnson, as Cade Klubnik continues to nurse an ankle injury. Klubnik hurt his ankle in last week's 41-10 win at Boston College and was limited in practice ahead of the matchup with the Mustangs.

Coach Dabo Swinney labeled Klubnik on Thursday as "hour-to-hour" and said he made consistent progress in his recovery throughout the week. He listed his quarterback as "questionable" on the ACC's availability reports on Thursday and Friday. The soreness -- which Swinney said had been an issue even before the Boston College game -- is expected to keep him on the sideline.

"Just been limited," Swinney said of Klubnik's status. "We're taking our time with him. Like I said yesterday, he's gone from day-to-day to hour-to-hour. Hopefully tomorrow he'll be minute-to-minute. … Literally getting better every hour. Just being smart with him, and he's been doing what he needed to do."

While Clemson opened the season in disappointing fashion with three losses in the first half of the year, Klubnik responded at an individual level with consecutive terrific performances against North Carolina and Boston College. He went 44-for-54 with five touchdowns through the air in the back-to-back wins before sustaining the ankle injury.

Vizzina backed up Klubnik over the first two-and-a-half years of his career and has yet to make a start for Clemson. He entered last week's game in the second half and completed just one of his three passes and threw an interception in the end zone. Clemson held a commanding lead over Boston College and tasked Vizzina mostly with handing the ball off or running it himself.

For his career, Vizzina is a 54.2% passer with 227 yards and the interception. He also handled 20 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown over 12 career games.

Although his opportunities thus far are limited, Vizzina may represent a bright future for Clemson at quarterback. He was a blue-chip recruit out of Birmingham (Ala.) Briarwood Christian as the No. 103 overall prospect in the 2023 class. Vizzina, a four-star recruit, ranked No. 10 nationally at the quarterback position and held offers from a bevy of elite programs including Ohio State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Penn State and numerous other perennial College Football Playoff contenders.

Vizzina could not have asked for a better matchup in his first career start. SMU ranks second-worst in the FBS and dead last in the ACC against the pass, surrendering 315.8 yards per game through the air. Only Air Force (323.2) has a more porous passing defense.