Clemson has ridden its defense to a near perfect start this season. Now the Tigers will see if they can jumpstart an offense that’s been anything but in arguably the most challenging environment they’ve encountered to this point.
The seventh-ranked Tigers (2-1, 1-0 ACC) head to Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday looking to start their first winning streak in ACC play against North Carolina State. Clemson played away from Memorial Stadium in its opener against Georgia, a seven-point setback in which the Tigers didn’t allow an offensive touchdown but didn’t reach the end zone either.
It’s a microcosm of the Tigers’ season so far, one in which Clemson has yet to allow a touchdown but has also had trouble finding it against FBS opponents. Two of them were enough for the Tigers to squeak past Georgia Tech last week with the help of a late goal-line stand.
This week’s task figures to be even tougher inside a venue that holds more than 60,000 fans. Clemson played in front of more than 70,000 at Bank of America Stadium to begin the season, but given that was a neutral-site game, the crowd was more evenly split between Clemson and Georgia fans.
That won’t be the case Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium, where the Wolfpack have won seven of their last eight home games. They’ve won their first two there this season by a combined score of 90-7, though the competition level (South Florida and Furman) hasn’t been what the Wolfpack will see this week.
“It’s going to be loud. It’s going to be hostile,” Clemson offensive lineman Jordan McFadden said. “But at the end of the day, you’ve got to love it. This is why you play football. To play in big-time games.”
This year’s matchup will renew a series the Tigers had dominated before the coronavirus pandemic forced a pause last season. Clemson has won eight in a row against the Wolfpack and 15 of the teams’ last 16 meetings dating back to 2004, including a 55-10 romp in the most recent one in 2019.
That also came on N.C. State’s home turf, but for Clemson to have any hope of repeating that kind of performance, the Tigers will need more out of an offense that’s looked nothing like the explosive units of years past. The Tigers are mustering the fewest yards per play in the ACC (4.82) and have yet to eclipse 14 points against a team other than South Carolina State.
Tech had some success dropping most of its defenders into coverage against the Tigers, who were caught off guard by the tactic. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said Clemson’s offense will be better prepared to deal with what they believe will be more of the same from N.C. State and other defenses after the Yellow Jackets held Clemson to 284 yards and two scores, though it’s not like the Tigers didn’t have opportunities for more.
Clemson got into Tech territory on five of its nine possessions last week with four of those reaching at least the Yellow Jackets’ 19-yard line. Clemson turned the ball over on downs on one of them and fumbled to end another scoring threat in the fourth quarter.
If N.C. State decides to defend Clemson the same way, the Tigers’ game plan could lean heavily on the running game from the start after Clemson got it going more in the second half last week (season-high 41 rush attempts). It could involve Kobe Pace, quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei and freshman Will Shipley, who’s in line for his first career start following Lyn-J Dixon’s decision to transfer.
The Tigers feel like they’re not all that far off from being more productive where it matters, though the Wolfpack don’t figure to make things easy with a defense that’s allowing just 2.7 yards per carry and has yet to yield a rushing touchdown.
“I think we’re moving the ball pretty well,” McFadden said. “We just get to the 30(-yard line) or 40 and we stall out. Instead of stalling out, we need points.”
Defensively, Clemson will put the nation’s No. 2 scoring defense up against an N.C. State offense that’s had its share of success early on. Quarterback Devin Leary is seventh in the ACC in total offense while running backs Zonovan Knight and Ricky Person Jr. are each averaging more than 5 yards per carry, though most of that production has come against South Florida and Furman, an FCS team. N.C. State (2-1, 0-0) struggled in its lone Power Five matchup so far, committing three turnovers in a 24-10 loss at Mississippi State.
Even without linebacker Payton Wilson and safety Cyrus Fagan, who are out with season-ending injuries, the Wolfpack have plenty of seasoning on both sides of the ball. They began the year with 20 starters back from last season, which brings plenty of comfort for N.C. State with what it’s doing on both sides of the ball.
“This has got to be one of the most experienced teams in the country for sure,” Swinney said.
The Tigers know they will need their most complete effort of the season in order to get out of North Carolina a winner.
“We’ve got to play well in all three phases,” Swinney said. “If we do that, we’ll have a chance to win the game. If we don’t, it’s going to be a long day.”
Football season has finally arrived. Time to represent your Tigers and show your stripes!
