Apologies for the late post – My father had hip replacement surgery this week.
Overview: Clemson and NC State are among the youngest teams in the nation. The Tigers have played 48 total freshmen (most in the nation) while NC State is tied for second with 31 freshmen played. The similarities end there, as Clemson looks to make another run in the playoffs while NC State is fighting for bowl eligibility. NC State has lost three of their last four conference games, managing to scrape out a six point win against Syracuse at home a month ago.
Talent: Defensive Tackle Larrell Murchison is ranked 95th on The Draft Network’s 2020 Prospect Big Board, and sophomore placekicker Christopher Dunn was a 2nd team all ACC selection last season. Most of the names that made NC State formidable in recent years are gone to the NFL.
Odds: Clemson is favored by 34 points against the Wolfpack, and the over/under is 53.5 points. ESPN’s FPI gives Clemson a 97.4% chance of defeating NC State.
William’s Take: This is not the NC State team that gave Clemson trouble two years ago or were darkhorse ACC contenders last year. This game is quite similar to Boston College in that the two squads have lost a ton of talent from last year, and the seasoned ACC coaches could be fired at the end of the year. Combine that with Clemson’s red-hot play through October and the anger at being ranked #5? Expect a statement game. Prediction: Clemson 66 NC State 10
