Clemson Tigers @ NC State Wolfpack Football Preview

Some teams just have your number – for NC State, that’s Clemson.

The year was 2003, and the quarterback, current San Diego Chargers starter Philip Rivers the last time the Wolfpack beat the Tigers in the “Textile Bowl,” 17-15 at NC State’s Carter-Finley Stadium. That’s seven-straight seasons of Clemson wins.

An oddity for Wolfpack coach Tom O’Brien since taking over in 2007, who owned a 2-0 record against the Tigers while coaching Boston College in 2005 and 2006, but has since dropped four in-a-row by an average final score of 31.5 to 16.3.

But they’re coming off the closest call in the series since 2003, a 14-13 Tigers win in Death Valley, where Clemson’s defense locked down on Wolfpack quarterback Russell Wilson and the NC State offense, and a Wolfpack four-yard punt in Tiger territory spoiled any rally late.

The stakes are simple enough for NC State (5-5, 2-4) as they host No. 7 Clemson (9-1, 6-1 ACC), besides breaking the streak, Saturday and another home matchup next week against Maryland are must-win games for bowl eligibility – needing seven wins, by virtue of playing two FCS squads this season.

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A loss Saturday would mean a third season in five without a bowl trip in the O’Brien era, who finds himself squarely on the hot seat following a 14-10 loss at Boston College (2-7, 1-5 ACC going in to the game) last week – following a shutout of rival North Carolina for O’Brien’s fifth-straight win in that series.

Clemson wrapped up the ACC’s Atlantic last week against at home versus Wake Forest, in dramatic fashion via a 43-yard Chandler Catanzaro field goal as time expired, winning 31-28.

With a trip to rival South Carolina next week, this has all the makings of a trap game, though the Tigers hold slim national title hopes at No. 7 in the BCS with three games to go.

Clemson’s dream start to 8-0 and No. 5 in the BCS ranks hit a rough patch at Georgia Tech, falling 31-17 to close October, and the Tigers trailed by two touchdowns and were a hooked Demon Deacons' chip-shot field goal from going down two possessions in the fourth quarter of the win over Wake Forest.

The 14th-ranked total and scoring offense of Clemson (37.3 points and 478.10 yards per game) has barely skipped a beat statistically in the two-game stretch, but turnovers have been an issue – committing seven of their 13 turnovers on the season just in the last two games.

As the ACC-leader in total offense and passing touchdowns, sophomore Tigers quarterback Tajh Boyd fired 24 touchdowns to three interceptions in his first eight games, while in Atlanta and home against the Demon Deacons, three touchdowns to four interceptions.

Struggling of late as well, NC State scored 33.6 points per game winning two of its first three contests in October, but in the three games since, have posted 23 points combined losing two of three.

Clemson aims for its first 10-win season overall since 1990 Saturday, and the first 10-win season accomplished just in the regular season since the 1981 national championship year.

By: Brandon Rink
DFN Sports Staff Writer