Clemson football earns gritty victory over NC State on the road
After getting off to a shaky start, Clemson football settled down to earn a gritty 38-31 win over NC State on the road.
With their win over NC State tonight, Clemson is almost garaunteed a birth in the ACC Championship. This was no easy victory for the Tigers as NC State just wouldn’t go away.
Wolfpack quarterback, Ryan Finley had an excellent performance, starting the game 15-of-15 through the air. His scorching start, helped NC State jump out to an 14 to 7 lead over Clemson at the midway point in the first half.
You have to give NC State head coach, Dave Doeren credit for keeping his team on track following a tough loss to Notre Dame. The Wolfpack were able to stifle Clemson’s dominant pass rush, which no other opponent has done thus far. The Tigers rank 1st in the country in sacks with 32 on the year, coming into the week averaging four sacks a game. NC State allowed zero on the night.
Clemson continues to win close contests under Dabo Swinney. Despite being down for majority of the evening, the Tigers’ found a way to pull out a victory.
Thoughts
Kelly Bryant struggled to throw the ball in this contest. Part of his issues were due to the play of NC State’s secondary. That being said, he had more than a few “bad” misses. If the Tigers hope to contend for a national title, Bryant must throw the football better than he did tonight.
Ray-Ray McCloud played iron man football against the Wolfpack. He had a 77-yd punt return for a touchdown, started at wide receiver and logged game-clinching snaps at corner back. While he didn’t light up the stat sheet, McCloud played an integral role in Clemson’s win.
The Tigers must continue to feed Tavien Feaster and Travis Etienne. While they have elite talent at wide receiver, their ground game will carry them to the College Football Playoff. The two tailbacks accounted for a combined 136 yards on just 15 carries.
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The Tigers control their own destiny for the remainder of the season. With games versus Florida State, the Citadel and South Carolina to close the season, Clemson has no remaining threats in sight.