The law of averages states that future events are likely to balance out any deviation from the presumed standard. By this definition, it’s the Tigers’ turn to beat NC State this weekend.
Dating back to their first meeting in 1899, Clemson has won 60 matchups compared to the Wolfpack’s 30. Despite being members of the same conference, a true rivalry such as the one between Clemson and Florida State has never been officially established.
In recent years, a tug of war has ensued between victors and vanquished: NC State won the 2021 meeting, the Tigers took the top 10 matchup in 2022 and the Wolfpack clinched last year’s game by a score of 24-17. This has created somewhat of a feud between the schools, as each aims to diminish the other’s reputation.
It’s difficult to tell where the Pack sits talent-wise this year: Their two wins came against non-Power 4 teams, and they were not nearly as convincing as Clemson’s 66-20 victory over Appalachian State two weeks ago. They defeated Western Carolina 38-21 and narrowly came back against Louisiana Tech to win 30-20 in the final quarter last weekend, not to mention their 51-10 blowout loss to No. 6 Tennessee in between.
Head coach Dave Doeren’s squad is forced to rely on rookie talent after losing transfer quarterback Grayson McCall to an undisclosed injury against the Ragin’ Cajuns. Second-stringer CJ Bailey was called to action, completing 13 of 20 pass attempts for 156 yards in addition to one rushing touchdown. As a true freshman, the 18-year-old will see his first collegiate start against an AP Top 25 opponent, and Clemson’s defense is no small task.
Piloted by playmakers — more specifically, playstoppers — Avieon Terrell and Wade Woodaz, Wes Goodwin’s defense is legitimate. Woodaz leads the team in solo tackles and was named part of the fourth-best linebacker duo in the nation by Bleacher Report, thanks to his chemistry with Barrett Carter. Terrell, a sophomore, has posted four pass breakups through two games this season; he totaled five through 13 games last year.
The Tigers’ defense has remained relatively consistent in recent years, but the current talk of the town is the team’s blossoming offense. Still riding a high on quarterback Cade Klubnik’s historic first-half performance against the Mountaineers, it’s the junior’s arm that will be the key to success on Saturday. He earned the first weekly conference honor of his career as ACC Co-Quarterback of the Week thanks to his seven touchdowns and 383-yard production and has no plans of slowing down.
Klubnik will be assisted on the ground by Phil Mafah, who leads the team with 177 rushing yards. Mafah had an exceptional performance against the Wolfpack last year despite the loss, with 16 carries for 84 yards and two touchdowns. He was in the starting slot with former teammate Will Shipley sitting out due to injury, and as the official RB1, his stats are expected to improve even further.
Against the Mountaineers, spectators noticed that Swinney wasn’t even holding the playbook towards the end of the first half. This was the first time he appeared to hand complete control to offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, whose famous Air Raid scheme determined the Tigers’ success.
On the receiving end of the ball, sophomore Antonio Williams and freshman Bryant Wesco Jr. are listed as starters against the Wolfpack. The duo have put up similar numbers thus far, with 120 and 135 receiving yards, respectively, and one touchdown apiece. Tyler Brown is also expected to return from an injury sustained against App State.
Kickoff is set for noon in Death Valley and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
