Clemson football at NC State: Score prediction, scouting report for Week 9 ACC matchup
Clemson football is on the road again Saturday for a Week 9 matchup at NC State. The Tigers are looking to avoid a second straight loss after falling in two overtimes to Miami in Week 8.
NC State (4-3, 1-2 ACC) had last week off and extra time to prepare for the Tigers (4-3, 2-3). Clemson needs a bounce-back game after last weekend's loss.
NC State's offense is a weakness Clemson can exploit, but the Wolfpack defense might be a different story. Here's what to know about NC State, and our score prediction for Saturday (2 p.m. ET, CW).
NC State's struggling offense
NC State's offense has been a problem this season, and it starts with issues at quarterback. Brennan Armstrong, a transfer from Virginia, started the season as QB1. But after he threw six interceptions and had a 58% completion rate in five games, the Wolfpack made a change. Enter sophomore MJ Morris, who made his first appearance against Marshall in Week 6. He's thrown four touchdowns, five interceptions and for 458 yards in two games.
The NC State offense is fifth-worst in the ACC in scoring (25.4 points per game), fourth-worst in rushing offense (143.2 yards per game) and next-to-last in passing offense (204.1 yards per game). Clemson is top four on the defensive side of each of those categories, and the Tigers should be able to take advantage of the Wolfpack's offensive issues.
Wolpack's strength: Defense
NC State's defense has kept it in games when things could've gotten out of hand. That might sound familiar to Clemson fans this season.
The Wolfpack defense isn't perfect, but it could present some challenges for an inconsistent Clemson offense. NC State cedes 23.6 points per game. It ranks No. 4 in the ACC in rushing defense (110.8 yards per game allowed) and around the middle of the league in pass defense (222 yards per game allowed).
Two areas NC State shines are getting to the quarterback and defending on third down. The Wolfpack's 22 sacks this season is tied for the lead in the ACC, and its 27.5% opponent third down conversion rate is the best in the league.
Player to watch: LB Payton Wilson
Senior linebacker Payton Wilson is third in the country in total tackles (81). His 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks are both top 10 in the ACC.
"He's a game-wrecker," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Tuesday. "He's one of those guys when you watch (him), you kind of have to just tip your hat. This is a great football player, maybe the fastest guy on the field. I mean, he can absolutely fly."
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Clemson score prediction vs NC State
Clemson 27, NC State 20: Clemson's defense shouldn't have trouble with an NC State offense that hasn't scored more than 24 points in ACC play. The TigerS offense might not light up the scoreboard, but it will do enough to get a win.
Christina Long covers the Clemson Tigers for the Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. You can follow her on Twitter @christinalong00 or email her at clong@greenvillenews.com.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson score prediction at NC State: College football Week 9
