They say "you have to go through the storms to appreciate the sunshine". For the 1st time in 7 years, Clemson fans must process their losing team losing twice before October 1st. The Tigers dropped a hard fought road decision 27-21 in double overtime Saturday. The final score and the score throughout was much closer than the stats would've indicated. NC State would get a TD pass and a defensive stop in the closing moments to win it.
On their first offensive drive, Clemson looked like a different team. The Tigers struck first on a TD pass early in the 1st quarter. They moved the ball effortlessly going 80 yards on five plays in 93 seconds. However, the Clemson offense would revert to their early season struggles for most of the rest of the game.
N.C. State tied it at 7 later in the 1st quarter, when QB Devin Leary found Emeka Emezie from 9 yards out. The Wolfpack took their 1st lead of the game with just over five minutes left in the 1st half. Devin Carter got the first of his two TD catches on the day to give the Wolfpack a 14-7 at the break.
In the 3rd quarter, neither team could put any points on the board. Clemson did not have a first down in the 3rd frame. Early in the 4th, Clemson put together a scoring drive to tie it. RB Will Shipley got a 5 yard TD run with 10:52 left, that capped a 7 play, 80 yard drive.
Issues in the kicking game kept N.C. State from winning it in regulation. Wolfpack Kicker Chris Dunn missed three field goals, including one with the game tied at 14 late in the 4th.
The two teams would trade touchdowns in the OT. Clemson QB D.J. Uigalelei would find Justyn Ross for the second time on the day. The 9 yard TD hook up briefly put Clemson ahead 21-14. N.C. State answered with a 2 yard TD pass from Leary to Thayer Thomas, to send the game to its second overtime.
N.C. State got the ball first to open the second OT. They scored what would prove to be the game winner on a perfectly thrown ball from Leary to Devin Carter from 22 yards out. Clemson would get the ball and would get stopped, giving N.C. State their 1st win in the "Textile Bowl" since 2011.
Clemson key pieces to injury during the course of the game. They lost both their defensive leader LB James Skalski and D-Lineman Bryan Bresee were both forced out. Skalski is expected to be back for this weekend's game. Bresee suffered a torn ACL and will be out indefinitely. RB Will Shipley also suffered an injury, he is expected to be out 3-4 weeks.
The overwhelming edge in QB play went to the homestanding Wolfpack. Devin Leary went 32 of 44 for 238 yards and 4 TD's. He turned it over once on a lost fumble. D.J. Uigalelei was 12 of 26 for 111 yards, two touchdowns and a pick.
N.C. State owned almost every offensive category, the Wolfpack racked up 31 first downs to Clemson's 10. N.C. State converted 52% on third down, Clemson hit on just 18%. The Wolfpack had 386 total yards of offense to Clemson's 214. The Wolfpack threw for 238 and ran 148, while Clemson gained 111 through the air and 103 on the ground. The Clemson passing game averaged less than 5 yards per completion. Time of Possession was 41:48 to 18:12 in favor of N.C. State.
Now the question is how will Clemson respond? It's a program that rarely has had this type of early season adversity, with the players who are now in this position for the first time. While Wake Forest currently leads the Atlantic Division, the Wolfpack have a major leg up after this win. Clemson hosts Boston College Saturday, N.C. State hosts Louisiana Tech in non-conference action this week.
