Clemson Tigers Defeat NC State in Dominating Fashion 59-35 to Open ACC Play

The Clemson Tigers hammered North Carolina State on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers handled business against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at home at Memorial Stadium by a score of (insert) to get conference play started off on the right foot.

From the opening whistle, the Tigers were the superior side on Saturday, scoring less than two minutes into the game and on their first four posessions overall to grab a 28-0 lead before the first quarter even came to a close.

The four drives to open the game made it 13 straight touchdown drives for Clemson when Cade Klubnik is in the game at quarterback. The Tigers led 45-7 at halftime while Klubnik was 14 of 21 for 180 yards and two touchdowns along with two carries for 64 yards and another score on a 55-yard scamper on the first drive.

Antonio Williams had 3 receptions for 39 yards and two touchdowns including a 31-yard Klubnik rollout dime on the second possession of the game to put the Tigers up 14-0.

Phil Mafah, who suffered an injury on that same second possession to his shoulder after a 34-yard carry, would return to the game to score a 38-yard touchdown and finish the first half with 6 carries for 96 yards and the touchdown.

The second half was not nearly as prolific on both offense and defense for the Tigers. Clemson would score just 14 points in the second half, but what was far more concerning than that was the fact that the Wolfpack put up four touchdowns after just a seven point first half.

Granted, 21 of the points came in the fourth quarter when most starters had already exited and the game was well in the category of garbage time already, but Dabo Swinney will certainly not be thrilled with the way the Tigers finished things.

Clemson put their final points of the game to get to 59 via an Ashton Hampton pick-six on what was a very ill-advised decision from NC State true freshman quarterback CJ Bailey. Bailey would finish the game 16 of 25 for 204 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. Klubnik, on the other hand, who exited in the second half in favor of backup Christopher Vizzina, finished 16 of 24 for 209 yards and 3 touchdowns along with 70 yards on the ground and the opening touchdown.

Next week, the Tigers will face Stanford in a night game at Memorial Stadium for the first ever ACC matchup between the two schools. Continuing the level of offense that they have put up over the last two games would likely result in another dominating victory.