Tag: Clemson vs. NC State

NC State head coach Dave Doeren on Belton’s ejection for spitting at a Clemson player

Doeren touches on his player’s ejection for spitting.

During Clemson’s 59-35 victory over NC State on Saturday, Wolfpack offensive lineman Anthony Belton was ejected for spitting on Clemson defensive lineman Tre Williams. The incident occurred late in the second quarter, and Belton was immediately tossed from the game. On Monday, NC State head coach Dave Doeren addressed the matter in his press conference, confirming that Belton will not start in the upcoming game against Northern Illinois as a result of his actions.

“I was really disappointed in Anthony Belton’s response,” Doeren said. He acknowledged that emotions can run high, but emphasized that retaliation is never acceptable, stating, “The guy that responds and retaliates is always the one that gets penalized.” Doeren added that Belton’s ejection put unnecessary strain on the team, and he’ll face the consequences this week.

Despite the incident, Doeren expressed confidence in Belton’s character. “He’s a great young man that made a bad mistake. He’ll learn from this, and our hope is he’ll grow from it,” Doeren said.

It’s on to the next one for both teams.

T.J. Parker loved hearing NC State’s trash talk ‘fade away’ in beatdown win

NC State’s trash talk faded fast.

Clemson football made a statement on Saturday, dominating NC State in a 59-35 win at Death Valley. After last year’s tough loss in Raleigh, the Tigers jumped out to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back, leading 59-14 by the end of the third. Although NC State added some late points against Clemson’s backups, the outcome was never in doubt.

Sophomore defensive end T.J. Parker was a standout, recording two sacks and forcing his first career fumble. Reflecting on the game, Parker shared, “They were talking trash and stuff like that. Nothing’s better than whooping up on them all game and hearing the trash talk slowly fade away.”

The defense was key in setting the tone early, with two first-quarter fumbles and a 53-yard interception return for a touchdown by freshman cornerback Ashton Hampton. “That’s how you know you got ’em,” Parker said of silencing NC State’s smack talk throughout the game.

Clemson got their revenge on Saturday.

Clemson football’s defensive player of the game after a dominant win over NC State

Clemson’s defense wasn’t perfect, but it was still a strong performance.

It wasn’t a perfect day for the Clemson defense, but the Tigers looked strong for most of the game when the starters were in with a superstar on the defensive line dominating the Tigers 59 to 35 win over NC State.

Sophomore defensive end T.J. Parker was the Tigers’ defensive player of the game on Saturday, as he looked like the best defensive player on either team. Parker was a menace in the first half, wreaking havoc and ultimately drawing a lot of attention early.

Parker ended the game with five total tackles, three of them being solo tackles. The sophomore edge rusher shined exactly where you want him to, in the pass rush. Parker recorded two sacks, two tackles for loss, and a forced fumble as the Wolfpack’s offensive line had no answers for him.

Parker will look to continue his hot run in Week 5 against Stanford, and his job could be easier with Peter Woods’s possible return from injury.

https://twitter.com/NFL_DF/status/1837530634836713636

Clemson football’s offensive player of the game in beatdown of rivals NC State

Clemson starting quarterback Cade Klubnik looks like he has taken the next step.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers put on another superb offensive performance behind a balanced offensive attack as Clemson took down rivals NC State 59 to 35 in Death Valley.

Starting quarterback Cade Klubnik was the clear offensive player of the game for the Tigers in this matchup. He continued his breakout and showed fans, analysts, and everyone in between that he had taken the next step. While the junior quarterback struggled against the No. 1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs, he’s looked like one of the best quarterbacks in the country since.

Klubnik’s day ended in the middle of the third quarter, putting together a dynamic and efficient performance on Saturday. The junior completed 16-of-24 passes for 209 and three passing touchdowns, adding 70 yards on four carries and a touchdown on the ground.

Klubnik’s performance went beyond the statistics. He looked the part, with most of his passes looking like absolute strikes. His passes were on point, and his development in the pocket was night and day. Klubnik looked incredibly poised in the win.

Clemson fans have to love what they’ve seen from Klubnik in his last two performances; I know I have.

Clemson football puts a beatdown on NC State in another big rivalry win

Clemson dominated NC State in the first half.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers made a strong statement on Saturday, decisively showcasing their offensive prowess in a 59-35 victory over NC State at Memorial Stadium. The 21st-ranked Tigers scored on their first four possessions, with quarterback Cade Klubnik leading the charge, including a spectacular 55-yard touchdown run on just the fourth play of the game.

Klubnik finished the game with 209 passing yards and three touchdowns, displaying efficiency by completing 16 of 24 passes while also rushing for 70 yards. Running back Phil Mafah contributed significantly, racking up 107 yards on just seven carries, highlighted by a 38-yard touchdown that extended the lead to 28-0 in the first quarter.
Clemson’s defense also played a crucial role, forcing three turnovers and delivering three sacks on NC State’s freshman quarterback, C.J. Bailey.

Cornerback Ashton Hampton returned an interception for a touchdown, further solidifying the Tigers’ dominance. With this win, Clemson improved to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the ACC, setting the stage for their upcoming matchup against Stanford.

Clemson’s Phil Mafah returns from scary injury, breaks a off 38-yard touchdown run

Mafah returns from injury and explodes.

Clemson star running back Phil Mafah had a scary shoulder injury in the first quarter, but returned to the game and showed everyone why he’s one of the best running backs in college football.

The Tigers’ defense provided another huge turnover, with Aveion Terrell stripping the ball from NC State star wide receiver Kevin Concepcion. Terrell recovered the fumble, and gave the Tigers offense an excellent opportunity.

Mafah took advantage of the opportunity, retruningto the game and breaking off a 38-yard touchdown run. The huge run gave the Tigers a 28-0 lead, while allowing fans a sigh of relief seeing Mafah back on the field and doing what he does best.

https://twitter.com/InHarmsWay19/status/1837533632702947397

Cade Klubnik on fire as Clemson takes a 21-0 lead over NC State in the first quarter

Cade Klubnik is on a tear.

The Clemson football team looks like a completely different monster with the way starting quarterback Cade Klubnik is playing. Leading 7-0 after a 55-yard touchdown run of his own, Klubnik found one of his favorite wide receivers, Antonio Williams, for back to back touchdown passes. 

The first, Klubnik rolled out of the pocket and spotted Antonio Williams wide open down the sideline. Klubnik launched the pass, and Williams made the grab as he hit the end zone for the touchdown. It was a perfectly executed play that added to Clemson’s offensive momentum, giving Clemson a 14-0 lead.

On the next drive, Klubnik connected with Williams again. This time, it was a 3rd down in the red zone. Klubnik showed excellent poise, being patient and finding Willliams in the back of the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown. 

An unreal start for the Tigers.

Cade Klubnik explodes for a 55-yard rushing touchdown, Clemson leads NC State early

Klubnik shows off the wheels.

Clemson’s starting quarterback, Cade Klubnik, may have taken the next step as the junior quarterback opened the Tigers ACC rivalry matchup against NC State with a bang.

After a solid start to the drive, where the Tigers picked up a first down on three plays, Klubnik took matters into his own hands. Klubnik has struggled throughout his career, making reads in the run game, but not on this run. Klubnik made a beautiful read, keeping the ball and bursting up in the middle for a 55-yard touchdown run.

It was a picture-perfect play from Klubnik, 0who looks like he has officially arrived. Clemson takes an early 7-0 lead behind Klubnik’s outstanding play. Can’t forget about the offensive line and wide receivers here either; some outstanding blocking.

Clemson standout wide receiver out for ACC rivalry matchup against NC State

Clemson will be without a key wide receiver.

Sophomore wide receiver Tyler Brown will be sidelined for Clemson’s game today against NC State. Brown, who injured his ankle in the blowout win over Appalachian State, was not dressed for the game, despite not appearing on Clemson’s pregame availability report.

Brown has contributed four catches for 23 yards across the Tigers’ first two games this season. His absence could be felt in Clemson’s passing game, as the wideout was a key player in 2023, leading the team with 52 receptions and 531 receiving yards. He also scored four touchdowns last season, quickly emerging as one of the Tigers’ most reliable targets.

Brown’s absence will likely lead to more opportunities for other receivers to step up as Clemson opens ACC play today. His recovery will be closely monitored in the coming weeks as the Tigers look to build on their early-season momentum.

Clemson football star defensive lineman Peter Woods out against NC State

Woods will miss the NC State game.

Clemson will be without standout defensive end Peter Woods for today’s matchup against NC State. Woods was seen on the sidelines before kickoff at Memorial Stadium, wearing sweats and tennis shoes instead of participating in pregame stretches with his fellow defensive linemen, who were in full gear.

Earlier in the week, head coach Dabo Swinney had mentioned that Woods was still “day-to-day” following the injury he sustained in the second quarter against Appalachian State on Sept. 7. Woods was taken out of that game after being chop blocked below the knees by an opposing tight end and has not played since.

Woods had an impressive showing in the season opener, recording 2.5 tackles for loss, including his first career sack, among his six tackles against Georgia. The former five-star recruit from Alabama and 2023 freshman All-American entered the season with high expectations after finishing last year with 27 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble in 12 games.