SB Nation agrees with CBS.
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Alas, every time N.C. State put pressure on Clemson, the Tigers seemed to come up with answers.
The Wolfpack started fast, fed off an amped up home crowd, got a few big plays and had No. 3 Clemson staggered in the first half. However, Swinney had to be concerned as his Tigers gave up 389 yards and 41 points after shutting out Miami 58-0 the week before.
While the Wolfpack are desperate for a win, the Tigers are desperate for a season. Football Outsiders’ F/+ rankings – which combine Connelly’s S&P+ and Fremeau Efficiency Index (FEI) ratings – have Clemson firmly entrenched atop its FBS standings.
Without being baited into any type of trash talk, Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson volunteered during Monday’s media availability that, come Saturday, “We’re going to show Dalvin Cook why he should’ve come” to Death Valley instead of Tallahassee.
Those five games will help make a lot of decisions for the committee. Clemson is one of the most complete teams in the country.
The Tigers have abused the zone-read all year. The Iowa St. defense held the Longhorns to just 204 yards of total offense. The Golden Eagles went 4-20 in Todd Monken’s first two seasons, but are in good shape to play a 13th game this year.
For his career, Watson now has an efficiency rating of 171.11, second best among all active FBS quarterbacks who have played thrown at least 325 passes.
Clemson opted for consistency rather a big-splash hire.
It wasn’t exactly the way Clemson coach Dabo Swinney anticipated, but a win is a win.
Through seven games, Watson has proven to be accurate and efficient. Gallman is third in the league with 100.3 yards per contest, going over 100 in four of the last five games with six touchdowns overall. This was by far his best game of the season, as he somehow had not thrown more than three touchdown passes in a game this season before Saturday.
They rank Clemson with the No. 5 offense and No. 2 defense, while in the triple-digits in special teams (112).
But N.C. State played the second half without top rusher Matt Dayes due to what coach Dave Doeren said was a toe injury. When a defense has to worry about a quarterback that can accurately distribute the ball, the defense has to be tired of the pass, creating holes and lanes for both Watson and sophomore running back Wayne Gallman to exploit. Watson was 23 of 30 for 383 yards (5 TD’s) and had 14 carries for 54 yards (1 TD).
Clemson could have pinned its playoff hopes on a miserly defense.
The win ended a two-game losing streak and boosted the Hokies’ chances for the program’s 23rd straight bowl game – all under coach Frank Beamer.
-Giving up 389 yards, the most surrendered since the Notre Dame game on October 3.
One three-play sequence changed everything.
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Nine weeks through the college football season, who predicted Florida State would already have its first loss, to 3-6 Georgia Tech no less, and the Clemson Tigers would be leading the ACC? It’s time for college football talking heads to find a new daggum punchline.
