CLEMSON, S.C. – For the first time in the 90-year history of the rivalry, Clemson and NC State will play each other as top 10 teams when they meet at Memorial Stadium tonight at 7:30.

The Tigers (4-0, 2-0 ACC) come into the game ranked No. 5 in the country, while the Wolfpack is ranked No. 10.

What’s on the line besides a top 10 ranking? The inside track to win the ACC’s Atlantic Division for starters, a chance at playing for the ACC Championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff.

This game is without a doubt the biggest game in the history of the rivalry.

Also, Clemson is hoping to avenge last year’s double overtime loss to the Wolfpack (4-0, 0-0 ACC), while the ‘Pack would love nothing more than to end the Tigers’ 36-game home winning streak, the longest in the country.

“NC State has been a tough division opponent every single year. This is a great football team,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. “They are ranked tenth in the country because of what they have done. They have a lot of consistency. They have a lot of experience. A lot of veterans. A bunch of all conference players on both sides of the ball. They got one of the best quarterbacks, a legit no doubt NFL dude. They are well coached. This is a big game every year.”

Here are a few things you need to know about tonight’s game.

Opponent: No. 10 NC State

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.

Television: ABC

Latest Line: Clemson minus-7.0

All-Time Series: Clemson leads series, 59-29-1

Games at Clemson: Clemson leads, 29-11-1

Games at NC State: Clemson leads, 22-17

Neutral Site: Clemson leads, 8-1

Last Meeting: NC State 27, Clemson 20 (2OT)

  • Clemson is looking to extend the nation’s longest winning streak, which sits at 10 games
  • Clemson attempting to improve to 15-12 all-time in games between AP Top 10 teams
  • Clemson is 11-6 against AP Top 10 teams in the College Football Playoff era, with all six losses coming to CFP participants (including four national champions)
  • Today’s game will represent the 27th matchup of AP Top 10 teams in Clemson history. Clemson is 14-12 all-time in games when both teams enter ranked in the Top 10 of the AP Poll
  • Twenty-one of Clemson’s 26 previous all-time Top 10 matchups have come under Head Coach Dabo Swinney, with Swinney posting a 12-9 record in those contests. Danny Ford went 2-1 in three career Top 10 games, including the Orange Bowl to conclude Clemson’s 1981 national championship season. Frank Howard and Tommy Bowden each lost their lone matchup of Top 10 teams in their Clemson tenures
  • Clemson has won 15 of the last 17 meetings against NC State
  • Clemson has a 23-11 record against NC State at Memorial Stadium. The 23 wins marks the second most against an opponent at Death Valley
  • Dabo Swinney is 11-2 vs. NC State and is 6-0 at Memorial Stadium
  • Clemson is 4-1 all-time in games where both teams are 4-0 coming into the game. The last time this happened was 2018 against NC State. Clemson won 41-7 in 2018
  • Clemson running back Will Shipley is attempting to become the third Clemson player since 2000 to rush for a touchdown in each of the first five games of a season (James Davis in 2006 and Travis Etienne in 2018)
  • Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei (4,193) needs 167 passing yards to pass Steve Fuller (4,359 from 1975-78) and enter the top 10 in program history in career passing yards
  • Uiagalelei (24) needs one touchdown pass to take sole possession of the 10th-most career passing touchdowns in school history. He is four touchdown passes shy of Mike Eppley (28 from 1980-84) for ninth

—Clemson Athletic Communications contributed to this story

—Photo courtesy of Clemson Athletic Communications