In its ACC opener, NC State football stumbled through a disastrous 59-35 loss at Clemson, unable to threaten the Tigers at any point during the game. The Wolfpack offense failed to score until down 28 points with the game already out of hand. Freshman quarterback CJ Bailey made his first career start in the rout, offering a glimpse of hope in an otherwise uninspiring loss.
Quarterback
In his first start, Bailey had an up-and-down performance but flashed potential in a hostile environment. Completing 16 of 25 passes for 204 yards, Bailey was primarily asked to be a game manager and make short passes. Facing one of the ACC’s best defenses in a loud, hostile environment, Bailey held up and proved he could be a capable starter for the Wolfpack.
Despite the positives, Bailey also went through growing pains, showing he’s still only a freshman. On one of his few shots downfield, Bailey lofted a pass that was intercepted by Clemson’s Ashton Lofton leading to a pick-six. The pass was Bailey’s second longest throw of the day as he learns what he can and cannot throw against college defenses. Nevertheless, Bailey flashed upside and was one of the few positives from an ugly loss.
Additionally, redshirt freshman Lex Thomas saw action at the end of the game. While Thomas faced Clemson’s backups, he played well and threw his first career touchdown, a strike to freshman receiver Terrell Anderson, who juked a defender enroute to a 40-yard touchdown.
Running backs
For the second straight week, sophomore running back Kendrick Raphael was by far the Pack’s most productive back with 94 yards on just 10 attempts, including a 40-yard burst. Additionally, Raphael scored the Pack’s first rushing touchdown on the day on an explosive 10-yard rush. Despite the struggles in the run game, Raphael offers some promise moving forward.
In contrast to Raphael, graduate running back Jordan Waters once again struggled to find momentum. While his offensive line severely limited his production, Waters has not elevated the offense as expected in the preseason. NC State attempted to ride Waters and the rushing game early, but could never establish a consistent running attack.
Receivers
Entering the game, Clemson understood how to defend NC State — take away sophomore receiver KC Concepcion. While the red-and-white’s star was targeted 10 times, he only reeled in five catches for 40 yards. Often locked down in coverage, the Pack seemingly tried to force the ball to Concepcion despite the Tigers’ excellent coverage.
Meanwhile, the Pack’s transfer additions were barely involved within the passing attack. Redshirt freshman Noah Rogers and junior Wesley Grimes only received one target each, despite both flashing potential early this season. Involving this duo will be crucial for the NC State offense taking a step forward.
Another small positive for NC State is the continued excellence of junior tight end Justin Joly. While he only caught three passes, Joly averaged 24 yards per catch and showed the ability to create yards after the catch. Regardless of who starts at quarterback moving forward, Joly is emerging as a valuable weapon for the red-and-white.
Offensive line
Seemingly every week, the Pack’s offensive line struggles once again reared its ugly head against Clemson. Despite missing star defensive lineman Peter Woods, the Tigers dominated up front. In the first half, NC State failed to establish any threat in the run game due to the lack of push up front. Averaging just 1.5 yards per carry in the first half off of 20 runs, the Pack proved it simply could not run against Clemson’s starters — a major red flag moving forward.
Graduate offensive tackle Anthony Belton especially struggled throughout the first half with Clemson’s T.J. Parker, surrendering two sacks before halftime. Late in the second half after surrendering his second sack, Belton lost his cool and spat on a Clemson player, leading to his ejection from the game. The sequence summed up an abysmal day for the unit.
