TigerIllustrated.com - Tigers blast NC State

November 14, 2009

Larry Williams
TigerIllustrated.com Senior Writer

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RALEIGH, N.C. -- Before his team stepped onto the field at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, Dabo Swinney posed a question in the locker room.

"I said: Do you think you're ready to be champions?'" Swinney recalled. "They said yeah."

Saying it and demonstrating it are two different things, yet Clemson walked out and proved it in a 43-23 pounding of N.C. State.

The Wolfpack are far from a juggernaut, but the Tigers nevertheless took a big step forward - and another step closer to Tampa -- with a convincing win just a week after an emotional home victory over Florida State.

"I think they answered that question," Swinney said.

As the team boarded the buses for the ride back to Clemson after beating the Wolfpack for the sixth consecutive season, the only question seemed to be how long it would be before they were crowned Atlantic Division champs for the first time in the five-year history of the ACC's split-division format.

Having won its fifth consecutive game since a 2-3 start, Clemson (7-3, 5-2) knows it can clinch a spot in the ACC title game by beating Virginia next week at Death Valley.

But the Tigers also rode home hoping to seal it long before then; a Boston College loss at Virginia today would eliminate the Eagles from contention and punch the Tigers' ticket to the Dec. 5 championship game in Tampa.

"Just put it like this," said linebacker Brandon Maye. "They're going to have to pull the bus over if that happens."

The Tigers were celebrating early during this game thanks to an offense that was virtually unstoppable, and a defense that came up with a few clutch stops in the second half.

Clemson totaled 454 yards (254 rushing, 200 passing), scored six touchdowns and punted just twice on its first 10 possessions.

The Tigers have scored 38 points or more and averaged 425 yards per game over their winning streak.

Star tailback C.J. Spiller didn't put up staggering statistics after totaling 312 all-purpose yards in the 40-24 smacking of Florida State. He totaled "only" 175 total yards thanks in large part to the fact that N.C. State refused to kick to him (he had one return for 13 yards, on a kickoff).

Yet Spiller might've strengthened his Heisman case by accounting for touchdowns via ground (a 16-yard run), air (a 34-yard touchdown catch) and his own arm (a 17-yard pass to Xavier Dye), becoming the first player in school history to score touchdowns three ways in one game.

"Just another ho-hum day for him," Swinney said of Spiller. "I don't know how many more first-evers he can have."

The Tigers are searching for their first ACC title since 1991, a drought that tortures the program with every season it continues.

Clemson made a major statement by pulling away from Florida State on national television, yet Saturday's game against the Wolfpack seemed scary going in.

This is where previous teams might've stumbled and crumbled. Yet during the week, there never seemed to be a doubt that the Tigers had moved on and devoted their sole focus to N.C. State.

"For four years of my experience here, we haven't always come out every time ready to go," said senior eight end Michael Palmer. "That was something the seniors and the coaching staff were determined to not let happen. We knew we had to take care of business. It's within our grasp, and it's up to us right now."

Redshirt freshman quarterback Kyle Parker, who threw for 183 yards on a 12-of-18 clip while making some big third-down throws early to help the Tigers build a 24-7 halftime advantage, said this team might've proved as much this week as last week.

"The one thing I'm real proud of about our team is, we really didn't get complacent. We didn't get happy with just the win. We knew we had to come out here and win, and we prepared all week long like this was going to be a big game and like we were going to have to play real well to win."

The Wolfpack (4-6, 1-5) totaled 377 yards, but 132 of them came on their final two possessions. And on N.C. State's touchdown drives in the second and third quarters, Clemson helped out with four penalties - including two late hits.

The Tigers frequently pressured quarterback Russell Wilson, who was seldom able to set his feet. He finished 12 of 32 passing for 183 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

"They had a hard time moving the ball with the exception of us helping them," Swinney said.

N.C. State refused to kick to Spiller, but not without a heavy cost. The Tigers' average starting field position on their first five possessions was their 46-yard line.

N.C. State's average start in the first half was its 18-yard line. A shanked 6-yard punt early in the second quarter set Clemson up at the Wolfpack's 17-yard line, and the Tigers promptly cashed in when Spiller took a pitch right, sold the run, then stopped and lofted the pass to Dye to put Clemson up 17-0.

"It's a difficult situation to overcome," said Wolfpack coach Tom O'Brien. "But it's the price you have to pay when kicking to C.J. Spiller, who can get them great starting position."

Clemson came up big on third down in the first half, converting five of seven opportunities for 93 yards. Included was a 47-yard pass from Parker to Jacoby Ford on third-and-11; a 22-yard pass to Palmer on third-and-7; and a 17-yard pass to Dye on third-and-5.

"Even when we had a third-and-long, we protected," Parker said. "People were able to make plays and keep us on track and keep us driving."

N.C. State trimmed Clemson's advantage to 24-14 early in the third quarter, but the Tigers responded with a 60-yard march that was capped with a 16-yard scoring run by Spiller.

Matters seemed a bit tenuous after a field goal pulled the Wolfpack within 30-17, but the Tigers again answered. Parker converted on a third-and-3 while calmly stepping up in the pocket and hitting Palmer for a 16-yard gain on the left flat.

Two plays later, Spiller somehow found himself all alone on a wheel route for a 34-yard touchdown strike from Parker.

And the Tigers found themselves one step closer to standing all alone atop the Atlantic Division.

"Our team has just been resilient," Swinney said. "They're a mentally tough team. They continue to come back."

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