2019 Recap: Clemson Drills Depleted Wolfpack

Against an N.C. State squad ravaged by injuries, Clemson improved to 10-0 and wrapped up the Atlantic Division title for the fifth consecutive season while also increasing their consecutive winning streak to 25 games.

The staff at AllClemson is taking a look back at the 2019 season game-by-game, featuring the highlights, momentum-changing moments and stars. We continue with a look at the Tigers' division-clinching road win at N.C. State.

Just days before a Week 11 game at N.C. State, Clemson dropped to fifth in the College Football Playoff committee's weekly rankings.

The Tigers looked like a team that took notice and came out of the locker room extremely focused. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence and an opportunistic defense helped Clemson build a quick 28-0 lead in the first quarter as they rolled to a 55-10 victory on the road at N.C. State. 

Against an N.C. State squad ravaged by injuries, the Tigers improved to 10-0 and wrapped up the Atlantic Division title for the fifth consecutive season while also increasing their consecutive winning streak to 25 games.

Here's how it happened:

It's was over when...

Following N.C. State's second turnover of the first quarter, Clemson running back Travis Etienne took a Lawrence handoff right up the gut of the Wolfpack defense for a 19-yard scoring scamper that put the Tigers up by four touchdowns with 1:31 left in the first.

Play of the game

With less than a minute to play at the Wolfpack 33-yard line, Lawrence dropped back, stumbled a bit around the 40 and then launched a strike into the end zone to Justyn Ross, who was blanketed by an N.C. State defender, for a touchdown pass that was right on the mark. It gave Clemson a 42-0 lead heading into halftime. 

Player of the game

Lawrence was nearly flawless in this game. He completed 20-of-27 passing for 276 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 59 yards and another score before exiting in the second half. 

20/27 | 335 total yards | 4 TDs Trevor Lawrence does it again and puts together a great performance vs. NC State! #ALLIN | @ClemsonFB @Trevorlawrencee pic.twitter.com/UiyNXuC50c

— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) November 13, 2019

What was that?

Clemson had a little fun with this game. Offensive guard John Simpson scored a touchdown on a 1-yard rush in the second quarter. In the fourth quarter, after a 1-yard TD run by Mickey Dukes, linebacker James Skalski attempted the extra-point kick, which he missed. What followed at the end of the game was a controversial handshake between Clemson's Dabo Swinney and N.C. State coach Dave Doeren. 

𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘔𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 2019

Starting left guard #74 John Simpson turned his dream into a reality when he took the handoff and scored on a rushing touchdown at NC State.

...He got that bread.#ALLIN pic.twitter.com/zZ8wfqk8HX

— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) December 31, 2019

Freshman impact

Safety Lannden Zanders had just one tackle in the game, but it happened to be his second career sack. 

Stat of the game: 4

The Wolfpack offense, behind quarterback Devin Leary, put the ball on the ground four times. Clemson's opportunistic defense recovered all four fumbles, two of which led to short scoring drives in the first quarter. 

He said it...

"Our guys were locked in and just really ready to play and our execution was tremendous in that first half. We really played about as clean as you can play. We didn't make many mistakes." — Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney