The Clemson football team will take on the NC State Wolfpack Saturday evening. Here are five Tigers to watch in Raleigh this weekend.
The Clemson football team was ranked No. 5 in the first CFB Playoff poll for the 2019 season. As a result, the Tigers will be looking to make a statement this weekend in a game against NC State.
The Tigers come into this matchup as a 34-point favorite, courtesy of the Action Network, and they’ll be looking to cover that massive spread on national television Saturday night.
The game will kickoff live at 7:30 p.m. on ABC and will be called by Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (color) and Maria Taylor (sideline).
The Clemson football team won’t just be looking to improve to 10-0 and become one win away from clinching the ACC Atlantic Division, they’ll be playing with a chip on their shoulder. This is a program that has won 25-straight games and are as good as anyone in the nation.
They know that one slip-up will likely leave them no path to the CFB Playoff, so every single week will be important for them to show up and play at a high level from here on out.
As we head into the matchup with NC State, here are five Tigers to watch against the Wolfpack. For this post, we elected to stay away from some of the obvious picks like Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne and Isaiah Simmons.
5. Lyn-J Dixon
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a big-time Lyn-J Dixon run.
Dixon is one of the most explosive running backs in the ACC, but he hasn’t had as many opportunities to carry the ball as of late.
He’s done an excellent job in pass-protection and is averaging 6.4 yards per carry, but hasn’t had a long touchdown run in quite some time.
Look for him to break off a big one this Saturday. Dixon is poised for a breakout performance to get the national analysts talking and this could very well be it for him.
4. Nolan Turner
Nolan Turner had a bit of a rough day last Saturday against Wofford. He was out of position a couple of times on passing plays and that’s unlike what we’ve seen from him the majority of this season.
Because of that, I expect to see Turner have a big day against NC State.
He may come away with an interception, but he’ll certainly be in on some pass-breakups and likely have a couple of tackles for loss.
Turner is an extremely talented safety and Tiger fans should expect him to bounce back from last week and have a big performance.
3. John Simpson
John Simpson was held out of last week’s game against Wofford with a sore ankle.
He injured that ankle a few weeks ago against Louisville, but played the entire matchup against Boston College.
With a week off, I think we’ll see him refreshed in the interior of that offensive line.
Though Simpson likely won’t garner a lot of attention, I suggest taking a look at that offensive line this weekend and seeing what a good job he’s going to do in opening up holes in the running game and in pass-protection for the Tigers.
2. Justyn Ross
Out of all the wide receivers, expect Justyn Ross to have a big game this weekend.
We’ve seen all the wide receivers come to life a little more over the past few weeks, including Ross, and I think he’ll take another step forward this weekend.
Ross has an opportunity to catch a couple of touchdowns and help the Clemson football offense get the long-passing game going.
Look for the Tigers to target Ross down the field and spread the defense out with the offense.
1. Xavier Thomas
The long-awaited return of Xavier Thomas is expected to happen this weekend.
Thomas missed the last three games with a concussion. Though he could’ve returned last weekend against Wofford, the Clemson football coaching staff held him out as a precaution.
From all accounts, he’s back to 100 percent and should be ready to go against NC State.
The Wolfpack have had some trouble this season in terms of quarterbacks and in pass-protection. Look for them to try and get the ball out quickly and to the sidelines.
If that doesn’t work, Xavier Thomas will have a field day. Look for the talented sophomore to come away with a couple of sacks and tackles for loss in his return from injury.