NC State will look to even its conference record when it takes on the No. 3-ranked Clemson Tigers at Carter-Finley Stadium this Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
During its last game, the Wolfpack came out with authority against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, scoring four touchdowns of more than 50 yards in a dominant 35-17 win. However, the undefeated Tigers (7-0, 4-0 ACC) are a different beast altogether, and it will take a special effort to take down one of the frontrunners for a spot in the College Football Playoff later this year.
Confidence is high after the win in Winston-Salem last weekend, which marked the first win for head coach Dave Doeren in the month of October, and Doeren recognized the importance of winning on the road.
“I’m very proud of the team and the staff to get win number five in a place that historically has been very challenging,” Doeren said at his pregame press conference Monday.
The game was also a major improvement for the Pack because it was the first conference game the Wolfpack won the turnover margin, having a +1 turnover differential.
“I thought we played pretty solid football,” Doeren said. “It’s the first win in conference where we didn’t turn the ball over.”
Last year when the Pack played Clemson in South Carolina, the Tigers shut out the Wolfpack 41-0, a loss Doeren hasn’t forgotten about going into this game.
“We’ll watch [the film] with them,” Doeren said. “The guys know what happened. The guys are more worried about what they are going to do about it.”
Clemson has been dominant this season. The Tigers are currently ranked No. 3 in the AP polls and are in a position to be a college playoff team. They put on an offensive stomping of fellow ACC school Miami, throttling the Hurricanes 58-0 in Miami last weekend. Much like the rest of the country, Doeren has taken notice.
“They’re a really good football team,” Doeren said. “They have excellent personnel, they have a lot of depth and they use their guys well.”
One player to watch for the Tigers is sophomore Wayne Gallman, who has been lighting up the ACC. Gallman has nearly surpassed his rushing total from last season, rushing for 702 yards and six touchdowns through seven games this year. Doeren had high praise for the Loganville, Georgia, native.
“Their offense is an up tempo team,” Doeren said. “Their tailback [Gallman] is playing better than I’ve seen in the last few years.”
A player to watch for the Wolfpack will be freshman wide receiver Nyheim Hines, who had a breakout game for the Pack against Wake Forest. The Garner native had three catches for 68 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown reception. Doeren said Hines contributes very well to the return game as well.
“Last year we were really bad in punt and kickoff returns,” Doeren said. “[Nyheim’s] speed helps him hit it and not dance around. He’s really helped us a lot.”
One more factor that could influence the game is that this will be NC State’s first game back in Carter-Finley since Oct. 4, when the team lost the conference opener to Louisville. The game time kickoff at 3:30 p.m. also helps the Pack, as NC State is 4-1 in games with 3:30 kickoffs or later this season; last year, the Pack went 6-4 in such games.
