By Will Vandervort.
Here is a look at all the top matchups for today’s NC State at Clemson game, which will kick off at 3:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
Deshaun Watson vs. NC State secondary: The Wolfpack played a lot of Cover 3 and Cover 4 against Florida State last week, yet quarterback Jameis Winston still threw for 359 yards and four touchdowns. Why? Winston did a nice job finding the soft spots in the zones and worked through his progressions. Watson will need to do the same thing. Unlike UNC, the Wolfpack will dare Clemson to beat them with the running game especially since Clemson is struggling so much to run the ball with any consistency. This will also give Watson an opportunity to excel in the zone-read game, which he has been up-and-down in the first two weeks. But if NC State is playing seven or eight back, then Watson will have an opportunity to get things going in the running game. Keep this in mind, a week after Clemson held the ‘Noles to 13 yards on the ground, FSU ran for 161 yards against NC State, which played a huge role in why the passing game was so good. Advantage: Clemson
NC State running game vs. Clemson’s run defense: You talk about strength going against strength. This should be a fun matchup to watch all afternoon. Clemson has allowed just 104 rushing yards the last three games, including just 13 at Florida State. NC State on the other is averaging 231.2 yards a game on the ground, which has allowed it to become the most complete offense in the ACC the first five weeks of the season. NC State has a very veteran offensive line that has really got up field and is moving some people off the ball. Clemson’s Vic Beasley and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett lead a defensive line that has played well all season. This will be perhaps the best matchup of the game because NC State’s success in the passing game, especially with play-action, needs the running game to be able to keep the Clemson defense off-balance and guessing all afternoon. Advantage: Clemson
Clemson’s O-line vs. NC State’s D-Line: Clemson has now lost reserve right tackle Joe Gore and enters the NC State game with only one true tackle on the offensive line – left tackle Isaiah Battle. Kalon Davis will get his second straight start at right tackle and Reid Webster will start at right guard, but the Tigers are thin up front and have guys that have crossed trained playing at positions they normally would not play at. This is huge because NC State has a good defensive front that has produced 10 sacks already this year. Defensive ends Art Norman and Mike Rose can be disruptive and defensive tackle Monty Nelson at 6-foot-2, 312 pounds is a big load to move in the middle of the line. If NC State does drop seven to eight in a zone, then protecting Watson, with primarily a four-man rush, will be at a premium. Advantage: NC State
Mackensie Alexander vs. Bo Hines: This is freshman against freshman and it should be a good matchup. Hines is the Wolfpack’s leading receiver as they line him up all over the field. The true freshman has caught 24 passes for 312 yards and a touchdown. His catches and yards are both team-highs. He has also ran with the ball and has even thrown a pass this season. Alexander, a redshirt freshman, has had his ups and downs. He looked outstanding covering Rashad Greene at Florida State, but had one slip that cost the Tigers a 74-yard touchdown on a second-and-24 play. He again played well against UNC last week, but he did give up inside leverage on the Tar Heels first touchdown of the game. Hines is not a burner, but he runs very good routes and as his 54-yard touchdown against FSU proved, he is fast enough to run away from people if need be. Advantage: Even
Jacoby Brissett vs. Clemson defense: When the front seven is as good as Clemson, it will not change what it does because of who is playing quarterback. The Tigers will continue to press the wide receivers and will depend on getting pressure with their front-four and linebackers, while occasionally mixing things up with a corner or safety blitz coming off the edge or up the middle. Brissett is a very big quarterback that has good mobility in the pocket. He does a good job keeping his eyes down field even when he scrambles as he extends plays with his feet. He will give a Clemson secondary that has struggled at times in the last two games a real workout. Advantage: NC State
Vic Beasley vs. NC State O-line: Of the 27 sacks Vic Beasley has recorded in the last two plus years, six have come at the expense of NC State. That’s more sacks than anyone else he has played against. Beasley already has six sacks this season, which leads the ACC and he seems like he is just warming up. NC State has allowed just eight sacks though the first five games, which ranks 8th in the ACC. Beasley needs two sacks to become Clemson’s all-time sack leader. Advantage: Clemson
Prediction: Clemson 49, NC State 28