Preview and Prediction: Clemson and NC State

The No. 5 Clemson Tigers will attempt to secure its 10th win of the 2019 season and potentially a division title on Saturday when the team faces NC State in prime time on Nov. 9. Kickoff at Carter-Finley Stadium is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

Depending on the results of an earlier contest, the game could present an opportunity for Clemson to clinch a berth in the ACC Championship Game. A Clemson victory preceded by a Wake Forest loss to Virginia Tech would clinch the ACC Atlantic crown for Clemson for the fifth consecutive season.

Who to watch when Clemson has the ball:

Trevor Lawrence (QB):

The sophomore signal-caller has played, over the last four games, like he ended the 2018 season—red-hot.

Lawrence has thrown three touchdown passes in four consecutive games for the first time in his career, becoming the first Clemson quarterback to do so since Tajh Boyd in 2012. He has also thrown a touchdown pass in 19 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the country.

Last season. he had 26 completions on 39 attempts for 308 yards and a touchdown, as well as five carries for 12 yards.

Travis Etienne (RB):

With 14 career 100-yard rushing performances (eight in 2018, five in 2019 and one in 2017), Etienne has entered the top three in school history in the category. He currently sits three games shy of Gallman's school career record of 17 from 2014-16.

Another 100-yard game this week would be Etienne's sixth of the season, which would place him in sole possession of fifth-most in a season in school history. With another 100-yard effort this week, Etienne can tie the school record for consecutive 100-yard rushing games (five), set by Kenny Flowers in 1985 and by Raymond Priester in 1996-97. 10.0

Louis Acceus (LB; NC State):

Acceus ranks second on the team in tackles with 50 for the season. He has tallied 28 stops in the past three games. In the win over Syracuse, Acceus was a dominant force on the defense that held the Orange to just 41 yards rushing. Acceus tallied 14 tackles - a personal career high and the highest total for a Pack defender this season - including 10 solo stops.

He tallied three sacks, resulting in a loss of 30 yards for the Orange and was named the ACC Linebacker of the Week. Acceus has really turned it up versus the ACC, with 35 of his 50 tackles coming in the past four games

Who to watch when NC State has the ball:

Isaiah Simmons (LB):

In addition to being Clemson's most prolific tackler, Simmons leads Clemson this season in sacks (6.0) and tackles for loss (11.5) while also contributing five pass breakups, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Presently, Simmons is one of only three FBS players — and the only one in the Power Five — credited with at least 65 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks this season. Among that group, only Simmons and Florida Atlantic's Akileis Leroy are the only ones to also record an interception this season.

K'Von Wallace (S):

Wallace has had his biggest games against the Wolfpack in his previous three games.

The Tiger safety enters the contest with an interception in all three games he's played against NC State from 2016-18. He will attempt to become the first Clemson player to record an interception against a single opponent in four different games.

Devin Leary (QB; NC State):

Leary got the start at quarterback against Wake Forest,and was the third Wolfpack player to start at that position in the first eight games of 2019.

It marked the first time in school history that three different QBs made their first career starts in a single season for the Wolfpack. Leary was the first redshirt freshman to start a game at quarterback for the Pack since Russell Wilson in 2008.

He was also the first QB - regardless of class - to have his first career start on the road since Wilson (the 2008 season opener at South Carolina).

Preview:

Overall, Clemson has a 58-28-1 lead in the all-time series against NC State, including a 21-16 lead in road games at NC State. Clemson has won the last seven games in the series and 14 of the last 15.

With the Clemson road win in the teams' most recent meeting in Raleigh in 2017, the Tigers are 17-9 all-time in games played in Carter-Finley Stadium, including victories in each of their last three trips to NC State. The series dates to 1899 when Clemson was victorious, 24-0, in a game played in Rock Hill, S.C. That was just the fourth year of Clemson football and the 16th game in the school’s history.

Clemson will attempt to earn its eighth consecutive victory against NC State to record the longest winning streak by either side in the all-time series. Prior to the current seven-game streak, Clemson's longest winning streak in the series was seven games, set in 2004-10. NC State’s longest winning streak in the series is six from 1971-76.

With the Tigers, currently, listed as 32.5-point favorites over the Wolfpack, there is little to make Las Vegas think that the Tigers will not run their streak to nine wins over the Wolfpack and their season-total to 10-0.

Prediction:

Zach Lentz: Clemson-52 NC State-7

Susan Lloyd: Clemson-55 NC State-10

Jeremy Styron: Clemson-42 NC State-7

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