NC State vs Clemson football first look: Odds, key matchup and Pack player to watch

It was the biggest play of Devin Carter’s N.C. State career, giving Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren arguably his biggest win.

Carter’s turning, tumbling catch of a Devin Leary touchdown throw last season was the game-winner as the Pack stopped Clemson 27-21 in a second overtime. It was instant pandemonium at Carter-Finley Stadium as the ACC’s heavyweight went down, the playing field quickly covered after the Wolfpack defense stopped the Tigers’ final play.

That was then. Beating Clemson at home is one thing, no matter the significance. Beating the Tigers on the road, in Death Valley, is the Pack’s task now in the 7:30 p.m. game at Memorial Stadium to be shown nationally on ABC — Clemson ranked No. 5 and N.C. State No. 10 in the AP poll.

Talk about good timing. There was a Carter sighting Saturday at Carter-Finley as the Pack ripped Connecticut, 41-10. The redshirt junior, after a mostly invisible start in the Wolfpack’s first three games, had five catches for 63 yards against the Huskies.

The Pack seemed determined to get No. 88 the ball and Carter got it. The Pack seemed determined to get Carter a touchdown and he got it.

In the second quarter, Leary found Carter open and Carter was racing for the end zone, straining to score, only to be ruled out of bounds at the 1-yard line. The call was upheld on review, so Leary went back to Carter on the next play.

Carter made a two-handed grab over his head of Leary’s pass and that was that — Carter’s first TD of the season. It was almost as if a weight had been lifted for Carter, a big target at 6-3 and 215 pounds who has had some big plays and big misses in his career.

Key matchup: Big test for Pack’s O-line

The Huskies were credited with two sacks Saturday, and the second one could have been a bit unnerving for N.C. State. It came in the fourth quarter, the Pack leading 38-3 and Leary still in the game, as the quarterback was thrown to the ground by three defenders.

Why was he still in the game?

“We were trying to get one more score before we took him out,” Doeren said.

The Pack didn’t score a TD, and Leary wasn’t injured on the sack. But he did go down, and the Pack’s offensive line will face a bigger challenge this week in keeping Leary upright and protected.

And that’s one part of the Pack’s checklist. Running the ball could be another. N.C. State had its problems at times against East Carolina’s fast and aggressive defensive front in the season opener, and Clemson’s is faster and more aggressive.

‘College GameDay’ in Clemson

The Pack will be a part of an ESPN “College GameDay” game for the first time since 2004, when N.C. State hosted Miami at Carter-Finley Stadium.

The No. 3 Hurricanes won 45-31 as Devin Hester ran back the opening kickoff 100 yards for a TD and quarterback Brock Berlin threw for five touchdowns. Jay Davis had four TD passes for the Pack and T.A. McLendon rushed for 145 yards,

Vegas betting odds

The Pack has been the betting favorite in each of the first four games, but not the Clemson game. The Tigers opened as a 7.5-point favorite. Some betting services now have the Tigers favored by 6.5 points.

NC State at Clemson game and TV info

Who: N.C. State (4-0) vs. Clemson (4-0)

Where: Memorial Stadium, Clemson

When: 7:30 p.m., Saturday

TV: ABC

Stream: ESPN+