Preview and Prediction: Clemson at NC State
SERIES HISTORY VS. NC STATE
Overall, Clemson has a 59-28-1 lead in the all-time series against NC State, including a 22-16 lead in road games at NC State. Clemson has won the last eight games in the series and 15 of the last 16. With the Clemson road win in the teams' most recent meeting in Raleigh in 2019, the Tigers are 18-9 all-time in games played in Carter-Finley Stadium, including victories in each of their last four 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. The teams had played each other every year since 1971 until 2020, when the ACC did not place NC State on Clemson's adjusted schedule in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Clemson will attempt to earn its ninth consecutive victory against NC State to record the longest winning streak by either side in the all-time series. Prior to the current eight-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. NC State was Clemson’s nemesis from 1986-88.
The Tigers won the ACC Championship each year under Danny Ford, but never beat the Pack in the process, losing all three seasons. It was the only loss for Clemson in the ACC in each of those years.
The 2012 game was the highest-scoring in the history of the series and was in fact Clemson’s highest scoring game in ACC play in terms of combined points (110). The Tigers won, 62-48, behind eight touchdowns (five passing and three rushing) by Tajh Boyd. That established an ACC record for touchdown responsibility in a game. The two teams played another high-scoring game in 2015 in Raleigh, as Deshaun Watson and Clemson outdueled Jacoby Brissett, 56-41.
What to watch for:
- Clemson attempting to improve to 60-28-1 all-time against NC State. NC State would become the third program against which Clemson has won 60 games alltime (South Carolina, 71; Wake Forest, 68).
- Clemson attempting to earn a ninth straight victory against NC State and its 16th in a 17-game span in the series. Clemson’s current eight-game winning streak is already the longest in the all-time series between the two schools.
- Clemson attempting to push its all-time road record against NC State to 23-16. The Tigers have won seven of their last eight games in Raleigh, dating to 2005.
- Clemson attempting to win its fifth straight game in Raleigh to tie Clemson’s longest all-time road winning streak at NC State (five from 1949-62)
. - Clemson attempting to not allow an offensive touchdown in all of the first four games of a season for the first time since 1928, when Head Coach Josh Cody's Tigers shut out Newberry, Davidson, Auburn and NC State entirely in the season's first four contests. Clemson opened that year, which was its first wearing orange jerseys, by not allowing a point in any of its first six games.
- Clemson attempting to hold an opponent to 10 or fewer points for the sixth time in seven games, dating to last season
Preview and Prediction:
Saturday's game will resume the Textile Bowl rivalry between Clemson and NC State, which was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to 2020 (when the ACC did not place NC State on Clemson's pandemic-adjusted schedule), the Tigers and Wolfpack had played each other every season since 1971. Clemson holds a 59-28-1 lead in the all-time series against NC State, including a 22-16 lead in road games. Clemson's success against NC State has been particularly pronounced in recent years, as Clemson has won 15 of the last 16 games in the series. Saturday's game will resume the Textile Bowl rivalry between Clemson and NC State, which was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to 2020 (when the ACC did not place NC State on Clemson's pandemic-adjusted schedule), the Tigers and Wolfpack had played each other every season since 1971. Clemson holds a 59-28-1 lead in the all-time series against NC State, including a 22-16 lead in road games. Clemson's success against NC State has been particularly pronounced in recent years, as Clemson has won 15 of the last 16 games in the series.
Zach Lentz: The Tigers have listened for the past three week about how bad they are offensively, and rightfully so, however if the fans and media are looking for a them to find magic this week, you may need to keep looking. The Tiger defense continues to impress and carry the Tigers, who find a little bit of running success against the 3-3-5 defense and do just enough to get the job done.
Clemson 17 NC State 9
Brad Senkiw: Clemson certainly has its issues offensively, but N.C. State didn't do much to impress against its best competition. Mississippi State limited the Wolfpack to 1.4 yards per carry, so there's a good chance Brent Venables and the Tiger defense will force the home team to be one-dimensional. That's not a good recipe for an upset, and Clemson will get just enough offense to pull out another ACC game.
Clemson 23, NC State 12
Jason Priester: While this Clemson offense has struggled to find an identity early on, it looked as if the Tigers might have found something with Uiagalelei and the power running game late against Georgia Tech. With NC State likely to play a similar defensive scheme, I think we see the QB run utilized early and often. It won't lead to an offensive explosion, but with the way Venables' defense is playing, the Tigers won't need a whole lot of points.
Clemson 16 NC State 9
