No. 4 Clemson Rallies in Raleigh to Escape No. 20 N.C. State

With seven minutes remaining in the third quarter, N.C. State fans started singing “Don’t Stop Believing” as their defense trotted on the field leading 21-17.

This was supposed to be their time to take their place atop the Atlantic division. It was their moment to get revenge against the reigning national champions.

The atmosphere inside Carter-Finley Stadium was electric, and that belief never wavered until the final play.

Then, in an instant, it was gone.

K’Von Wallace intercepted Ryan Finley’s pass as time expired leaving fans stunned in their seats in disbelief as No. 4 Clemson (8-1, 6-1) rallied in Raleigh to escape the N.C. State Wolfpack 38-31.

“This was championship-type football,” head coach Dabo Swinney said after the game. “When you got to make critical plays in critical situations, and we were able to do that.”

Experience in games where momentum shifts at every turn helped the Tigers keep their cool as the game wore on and remained tight.

After Today’s win, Clemson is 13-1 in the last two-and-a-half years against top 25 teams.

Down 21-17 in the third quarter, Clemson’s offense had the ball at the 50 for the third straight drive. Kelly Bryant then led Clemson on two consecutive touchdown drives when the Tigers desperately needed points.

The first ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Deon Cain, who had a career-high nine catches for 84 yards and one touchdown.

The second was a much shorter drive as Tavien Feaster broke open an 89-yard touchdown run to take a 10-point lead as time expired in the third quarter. This was the third-longest run in Clemson history.

Even down ten points, the Wolfpack believed that they could win the game.

Their offense was clicking, and Finley was having an incredible game. He picked apart Clemson’s defense in the first half and looked like Superman.

He completed his first 13 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns and didn’t throw an incompletion until about three minutes remaining in the half.

Finley finished throwing 31-of-50 for 338 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. 

Jaylen Samuels showed what makes him such a dynamic player as he had 44 total yards, but two touchdowns.

After a Bryant interception 35 seconds into the game, Finley completed a 40-yard touchdown facing a third-and-long to give the Pack an early 7-0 lead.

The Tigers got punched in the mouth, but what separates them from other teams is their ability to respond.

“They didn’t flinch,” co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott said. “That was coach Swinney’s message at halftime was ‘hey, don’t flinch. We’ve taken their best shots, and we are going to have an opportunity in the second half to go get control of the game and win it.’”

Clemson’s ability to convert critical play after critical play in the most significant moments was the difference in the game.

Ray-Ray McCloud channeled his inner Deion Sanders changing his number to 21 and scored on a 77-yard punt return.

Ryan Carter had a crucial interception in the fourth quarter when the Pack had a chance to take the lead.

On a third-and-six during Clemson’s touchdown drive to take its first lead, Bryant escaped arguably the best defensive line in the country and found Cain for a first down.

Clemson converted on 7-of-16 third downs and needed every one of those to escape the hostile environment.

But no play was more significant than when Clemson faced a fourth-and-five on N.C. State’s 22-yard line after the Carter interception.

Leading 31-28 with not a lot of confidence in Alex Spence, Clemson had to stay on the field.

So who do you turn to when the game is at its most critical point?

Hunter Renfrow.

The smallest man on the field caught a pass from Bryant one yard short of the line to gain, but fought and willed his way to the first down and shook the tackler loose for a 16-yard gain.

“It was a play we ran earlier in the game and (Bryant) missed the throw,” Scott said. “I was standing there, and that defensive player knew the play and got there before Renfrow got there. Hunter is a guy that the defense can know what play it is and he still finds a way to get it done.”

Bryant finished with 20 completions on 38 attempts for 191 yards and one touchdown. He also had 20 rush attempts for 88 yards and two touchdowns.

Plays like those are what defines a championship caliber team and what separates Clemson from N.C. State.

The Pack believed, but the Tigers achieved and were able to convert one more play than N.C. State.

If Clemson were unable to escape Raleigh, its chances at an ACC championship - and the College Football Playoff - would have been off the table.

But the Tigers didn’t flinch and rallied.

The defending national champions now move into “Championship Phase” as they prepare to face Florida State for a chance to clinch the Atlantic division and maintain their standing in the playoff hunt.