Clemson at N.C. State is what makes college football great, even with no postseason stakes.

As Clemson heads to Raliegh this weekend to take on N.C. State, they know their postseason dreams are gone, but in this rivalry, there's still so much to play for.

The internet isn't an accurate representation of reality. It's understandable if you see irony in reading that on this website, but the truth in it still holds. If you go by the internet and nationally televised shows, the only thing that matters in college football are the teams that are still in contention for the College Football Playoff, and that couldn't be further from the truth.

Clemson and N.C. State - both three-loss teams - understand that their postseason aspirations probably evaporated with their second loss of the season, and surely did with their third, and yet, Saturday's game between the two Carolina rivals still carries meaning and history, regardless of the records.

The Textile Bowl / Clemson Football

"I mean, it's the Textile Bowl," said Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney in a press conference on Wednesday, referring to the name of the rivalry game between the Tigers and the Wolfpack. "A lot of people a lot of people forget that, you know, this is actually one of those games where there's a winning team [that] gets a trophy... It either comes back to Clemson or it stays in Raleigh."

It's a trophy game and a rivalry that has been played every year (except 2020) since 1971. Though it's far from the only such game in college football, it's a piece of the tapestry that makes the sport we all love so much so wonderful and unique. Four teams make the CFP every year, and 130+ teams play in rivalry games. You decide which one is more crucial to the sport.

"It's I think a game that's meant a lot to a lot of people for a long time," continued Swinney. "Listen, NC State is an outstanding program. They've always got good players. I mean, they're tough, they're physical. I think Dave [Doeren] and his staff - he's got excellent staff - they do a great job. So you know, it's just a, it's a tough game and we get everybody's best shot that's for sure. Clemson has been a great team in the ACC ever since it was started as a league. We've won the league more than any team out there so with that comes, everybody wants to beat you. So that's just part of being a Clemson."

So while the eyes of college football will likely be elsewhere, two 4-3 teams will do battle in Raliegh for a trophy that's older than most of the players' parents, and plenty of other schools will be doing the same thing all around the country. Take some time this Saturday and enjoy our favorite sport for what it is and what it's meant to be.