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Clemson Tigers (Football)
LSU Tigers (Football)
Aug 27, 2025 12:36 PM EDT
The 2025 college football season’s first blockbuster may now have an unexpected subplot: misinformation. In the past week, both Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik and LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier found themselves at the center of wildly inaccurate injury rumors just days before their teams collide in the season-opening showdown in Death Valley.
A since-deleted post on Tigernet.com claimed Klubnik had been in a car accident near Clemson and couldn’t move his arm or shoulder. The post, circulated widely on social media by the satirical account “Message Board Geniuses,” was entirely false. “Thankfully, it is fake news,” Klubnik’s mother, Kim Klubnik, told CBS Sports. “Cade is fine!”
Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) against the Texas Longhorns during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. — Source: © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Clemson Tigers Quarterback Cade Klubnik Unfazed by False Reports
Speaking with reporters during Clemson’s weekly media availability, Klubnik acknowledged the prank had shaken his family. “My mom actually called me, crying, worried about me,” he said. “I don’t know who it was. Shame on them, what they put people I love through. It was messed up. But I’m OK.”
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier had a similar experience earlier in fall camp when a minor knee tendonitis issue snowballed into a viral rumor of a torn ACL. “It’s a weird world we’re living in… I’m good, I’m 100%,” Nussmeier told LSU media when asked about the bogus report.
Both quarterbacks will now prepare to face each other under the bright lights of a primetime matchup. While fans can enjoy the drama of the on-field battle, Klubnik and Nussmeier have had to contend with the real-life consequences of digital falsehoods.
In a sport already brimming with hype, these twin pranks are a reminder of how quickly misinformation can spread—and how personal it can become.
About the Author
Jeremy Lockett