RALEIGH, N.C. — Dabo Swinney has no answer, at least not at the end of another painful defeat.

For the third time this season, Clemson lost a game by eight points or less. This time it was a 24-17 loss to NC State at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Tigers already own a seven-point overtime loss to Florida State and an eight-point double overtime loss to Miami.

In a game in which the Tigers outgained NC State 364-202 and held them to 64 rushing yards, they lost by seven points.

“We pour a lot into trying to our best. We pour a lot into trying to win and right now it is not going our way,” Clemson’s head coach said. “A lot of days it has but right now it has not. Again, that is my responsibility. We are really, really disappointed. Again, this is a hurt football team.”

How did Clemson get here?

How are the Tigers 4-4 for the first time since 2010? How are they 2-4 in the ACC, the program’s worst start in league play since 1998?

“We are a team that is making too many critical mistakes and that is just my responsibility, period,” Swinney said. “That’s really tough to watch.”

The critical mistakes started from the beginning on Saturday. On third down, quarterback Cade Klubnik found wide receiver Troy Stellato for a 12-yard gain and a first down at the Clemson 41 on the Tigers’ opening drive. However, wideout Beaux Collins was called for holding, negating the first down.

Clemson’s next pass was incomplete and was forced to punt.

“That has kind of been our season in a nutshell,” Swinney said. “Big play and we get a hold out in space we don’t need. The play is going to go for aways. That was a huge-missed opportunity and then we had a couple of plays in the first half that we missed.”

Trailing 10-7 in the third quarter, and the ball resting deep in their own territory, Klubnik tried to throw a pass that defensive tackle Davin Vann got his hand on, deflecting the ball up into the air before it came down in the hands of linebacker Payton Wilson.

The ACC’s best defensive player then rumbled the ball into the end zone the remaining 15 yards to give the Wolfpack a 17-7 lead with 10:01 to play in the third quarter.

“We were just fooling around with a little play-action, and we don’t quite get into it and get their hands down,” Swinney said. “Their guy makes a play and gets the ball. Again, that is how our season has been.

“It’s not just a tipped ball and incomplete. It is a tip into the arms of their best player, and it is a touchdown. Especially, the way we are playing defense, it is just disheartening.”

Clemson also missed a 43-yard field goal attempt just before halftime, and Klubnik had a first-quarter interception that also led to an NC State touchdown.

Though Clemson fought back and gave itself a chance to tie the game at the end, once again the two turnovers were the decisive factor in winning or losing.

Clemson also had a dropped pass on third down to end a potential scoring drive, a couple of critical penalties on defense to extend an NC State scoring drive and the list goes on and on.

“It is just really painful, man. I don’t know what to tell you,” Swinney said.

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