With No. 10 NC State and No. 5 Clemson poised to square off in a highly anticipated matchup, both squads will enter the game with lofty goals of undefeated seasons in hopes for the ACC crown and playoff aspirations. Ahead of the star-studded showdown, correspondents Noah Teague and Jake Robinson give their opinions as to whether or not NC State will escape Death Valley with a victory.
Why Clemson can win: Noah Teague
Clemson’s dominant defensive line
Entering the season, Clemson’s defense was highly touted, especially its defensive line. Up front, the Tigers have several defensive linemen with NFL potential. Defensive tackle Bryan Bresee, a former top-5 recruit, is a disruptive force in the middle of the defensive line. Defensive end Myles Murphy, another five-star, is a proven player who racked up eight sacks last season in only 10 games. Finally, former five-star defensive end K.J. Henry is a much improved player for the Tigers that has broken out during his fifth season at Clemson. With so much talent on the defensive line, Clemson could overwhelm NC State’s offense.
Emerging Tiger offense
Under fire for another slow start to the season, the Clemson offense made a statement against Wake Forest by putting up 51 points in a double overtime shootout. Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei threw for 337 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions. While there are still many questions about Uiagalelei’s consistency moving forward, he showed that he has the potential to play well against quality opponents. A consistent performance from Uiagalelei would provide the Tigers with a major offensive boost against the Wolfpack. Paired with running back Will Shipley, who’s averaging an impressive 6.8 yards-per-carry, the Tiger offense could be rounding into form right in time for Clemson’s showdown with NC State.
Home field advantage
Clemson has not lost a home game since 2016, meaning students have enrolled and graduated at Clemson without ever seeing the Tigers lose in Death Valley, so napping this 36-game streak would be a historic accomplishment for the red-and-white. However, doing so will be a difficult task to say the least, and with ESPN’s College GameDay in town, Tiger fans will be louder than ever. With pre-snap penalties already bugging the Wolfpack at home, it’s tough to envision NC State playing a clean game on the road with over 80,000 fans trying their very best to be disruptive. Historically, NC State has struggled in Death Valley with its last victory there occuring in 2002. Facing its toughest task of the year, the Wolfpack will have an uphill battle to escape Death valley with a win.
Why NC State can win: Jake Robinson
Linebacker play
The core of NC State’s impressive defense is its strong linebacking unit. The entire Wolfpack defense revolves around graduate linebacker Isaiah Moore, junior linebacker Drake Thomas and redshirt junior linebacker Payton Wilson. Thomas and Wilson were selected for the Preseason All ACC team, and Isaiah Moore was considered on the Butkus award watch list for the best linebacker in the nation. In addition to being able to blitz, cover and wreak havoc all over the field, these linebackers are a force to be reckoned with in the run game. The group is giving up an average of 81.8 yards-per-game; ranking eighth in the country. This, combined with the rock solid secondary and strong defensive line could cause problems for the shaky Clemson offense.
Sumo-Karngbaye’s emergence
Entering the season, there were looming questions surrounding NC State’s running back room. Those questions have now been answered via the emergence of sophomore running back Demie Sumo-Karngbaye. The sophomore runs hard and is a physical specimen, using his size and athleticism to either go around defenders or through them. He is averaging 6.5 yards per carry, putting him in the upper echelon of running backs across the country. He is also paired up with a speedy pass-catching back in Jordan Houston, who complements Sumo-Karngbaye’s style and allows him to be fresh and efficiently used. With the emergence of Sumo-Karngbaye, NC State’s offense may be on par, or even better than the Clemson unit.
Veteran leadership
The NC State defense is led by a group of grizzled veterans. This includes the three previously mentioned All-American linebackers, All-ACC senior safety Tanner Ingle and the experienced defensive line. This defense is also only allowing 4.25 yards per play and ranked 13th in the country in total defense.
Clemson, on the other hand, is giving up 5.11 yards per play and ranked 48th in the country, which is a big difference that could present itself in Saturday’s showdown. Another factor for Saturday is the experience of playing in rainy environments. This could be an area of advantage for the Pack as most of the defense has played in hostile environments compared to the young Clemson team. With these three advantages, the Pack has a real chance to march out of Death Valley with a win.
