CLEMSON, S.C. — Is Clemson that good or is NC State that bad?
That’s a question you’ll hear throughout the rest of Saturday and for the next week. To be fair, the Wolfpack has struggled mightily through the first three games of the season, and Saturday was no different. In fact, it was another punishment at the hands of a superior opponent, similar to what happened just two weeks ago in a 41-point loss to No. 6 Tennessee.
But at this point, it’s more about the Tigers. For two straight games, Clemson’s offense looks like the versions of old — the ones that included two most legendary quarterbacks in program history. Cade Klubnik continues to be on a different level, looking more and more comfortable with each snap he takes. The Tigers have completely flushed the disappointing Week 1 loss to Georgia. That game in Atlanta wasn’t even a month ago — it feels like lost history with the way Dabo Swinney’s group has looked in the last couple tries.
Over the offseason, a big emphasis was placed on resting Phil Mafah and saving him for a large workload in 2024. At this rate, that was unnecessary. Two weeks ago, it was 10 carries for 118 yards. This time around, Mafah needed just seven carries to rough up the Wolfpack defense for 107 yards, and a lot of it came after he sustained an early injury.
It’s likely that neither Appalachian State nor NC State boosts the resume by season’s end, but that doesn’t mean you throw away what’s happened on the field recently.
“It feels like it’s been 10 years since we’ve beaten NC State like this,” a fan said in the row in front of me, during the third quarter. She was completely turned around and talking to her cohorts, not even looking at the field. Usually, one would say, ‘It’s so bad that I can’t watch.’
In this case, ‘It’s so good that I don’t need to watch.’
It was just another ho-hum first half for Klubnik, who completed 14 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in the first two quarters — he ran for a 55-yard score, as well. Against the Mountaineers, it was mostly damage through the air — Clemson rushed for 228 yards in the first half.
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It was a mauling in favor of the Tigers on each line of scrimmage, which was mostly expected from Clemson’s defensive line against what has been a poor offensive line for NC State. But the Tigers were without their most dangerous man, Peter Woods.
Matt Luke continues to be a savior for Clemson’s offensive line, which is undoubtedly near the top of college football right now. Yes, you might want to read that again. Through three games, the Tigers have one of the most dominant offensive fronts in the entire sport — they’ve still not allowed a sack.
There are some challenges still ahead, but there isn’t a team remaining on the schedule that will be more equipped than Clemson, in terms of talent. Unless there are abrupt changes in performance, the Tigers will be favored to win every game, all the way to Charlotte.
To quote Swinney, you better buy all the freakin’ Clemson stock you can right now.
