CLEMSON -- Everything boiled over for N.C. State late in the first half when Anthony Belton, a graduate student offensive linemen, spit into the face of a Clemson defender.
The Tigers, meanwhile, continued to spit fire and points. And both actions were legal in a 59-35 bloodletting.
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So much for the idea that an open date would blunt the mojo of a group that found not just a spark but a blowtorch against Appalachian State.
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So much for the idea that Appalachian State sucking the other night diminished the tapestry Cade Klubnik weaved two weeks ago.
So much, perhaps, for the idea that an opening humiliation against Georgia would inflict long-range repercussions that would be difficult to recover from.
Clemson opened its ACC slate by opening a can on Dave Doeren and N.C. State, a team that had dealt the Tigers debilitating defeats twice in the last three seasons.
Yes, allowing 35 points and 440 yards to the Wolfpack brings concerns. The Tigers' backups got moved off the ball and had serious tackling difficulties.
But this day was about the offense.
Clemson fans have spent the last three years kicking themselves and even laughing at themselves for getting bored during regular annihilation that came when Trevor Lawrence and other generational talents were doing their thing.
You appreciate those days a lot more when they're gone.
And dang right you've savored the recent reprise of games being over at halftime.
Dabo Swinney's term for the 2024 team has been "Finish."
He probably wasn't thinking: "Finish off the opposition in the first 15 minutes."
Clemson was up 28-0 after the first quarter Saturday after taking a 35-0 lead into the second quarter against Appalachian State.
The Tigers scored 56 points in the first half two weeks ago, 45 against the Wolfpack.
First-half yards: 525 against the Mountaineers, 408 against N.C. State.
Oh, and a combined 80 plays (for 101 points) in the first half of the last two games.
Yeah, you'll probably take that over 17-12 over Wake Forest or 16-7 over South Carolina.
Why, it was just a year ago when Clemson found itself tied 14-14 with Charleston Southern in the second game and up just 24-17 at halftime.
It was just nine months ago that the Tigers had 10 points through three quarters in the Gator Bowl against Kentucky.
It's premature to say that Clemson is back to the elite class of college football. Two absurdly easy victories over mediocre-at-best competition don't make an ironclad case.
But we can say that this offense has found something. Because Klubnik has looked better of late than he would've against air over the previous year-plus.
The offensive line is blocking the crap out of people under first-year coach Matt Luke.
Accordingly, Garrett Riley is feeling the confidence to be aggressive and take regular shots. To keep his foot on the throat of opposing defenses when they're reeling.
Yeah, it's just N.C. State and you knew coming in that the Wolfpack wasn't the group that a lot of folks thought coming into the year.
Doeren's group was pushed to the limit against Western Carolina, got blown to bits by Tennessee, and had to come from behind last week to beat Louisiana Tech in Raleigh.
So no, the Pack doesn't look very good.
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But, well, how many times in 2021, 2022 and 2023 did Clemson scuffle around and find a way to lose or almost lose to inferior competition?
Even when you're not playing a heavyweight, you know it when you see it.
And no sane person who's watched Klubnik the past two games would suggest he's not playing out of his mind, and at a level that makes those 5-star designations he carried in make a lot more sense.
He's making beautiful off-schedule throws outside the pocket, evidenced by his 31-yard touchdown strike to Antonio Williams early.
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He's progressing past his first read and hitting the open man, evidenced by another touchdown throw to Williams off play-action.
He's loving the aggressive mindset and frequent vertical shots, evidenced by his ball placement on several downfield passes.
And he's making you understand why he was a track star in high school, evidenced by his 55-yard dash on a quarterback counter to open the scoring.
Suddenly the outlook for this offense seems so much better.
The Wolfpack, meanwhile, are left twisting and spitting into the wind as they go back to Raleigh with their second humiliating loss in three weeks.
