The Notes: No. 5 Clemson 55, NC State 10
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Clemson clinched the ACC Atlantic Division title and will play the Coastal Division champion in the ACC Championship Game on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Tickets for the contest are available on ClemsonTigers.com and by calling 1-800-CLEMSON.
Clemson will become the first ACC team to represent a division in five consecutive ACC Championships Games.
Clemson earned a berth in the ACC Championship Game for the seventh time, passing Virginia Tech (six) for the most total ACC Championship Game appearances in either division.
Clemson earned its eighth overall division title, including a co-championship in 2012 in which the Tigers did not appear in the ACC Championship Game.
Clemson won the turnover margin, 4-0, its largest advantage in that category since a plus-five turnover differential against Oklahoma in the 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl. Clemson converted the four turnovers into 20 points.
Clemson won the turnover margin in a fifth consecutive game for the first time since the final three games of the 2018 season and the first two games of 2019.
Clemson did not produce a giveaway, representing a third straight game with zero giveaways for the first time since the North Carolina, Maryland and Georgia Tech games in 2010.
Clemson has now scored at least 55 points in three straight games for the first time in the program’s 124-year history. Clemson has scored at least 50 points in three straight games for the first time since 2013 against Virginia, Georgia Tech and The Citadel.
Clemson has now scored 45 points in five consecutive games for the first time in school history.
The margin of victory represented 18th win of 45 points or more in ACC play all-time. Clemson has been led by Dabo Swinney in 10 of those contests.
Clemson gained 549 yards to reach 500 yards for a fifth straight game for the first time since a six-game stretch in October and November of the 2016 season.
Clemson, which averaged 7.9 yards per play against Louisville, 8.4 against Boston College and 11.0 against Wofford, averaged 7.1 yards per play and has now exceeded 7.0 yards per play in four straight games for the first time since the first four games of the 2018 season.
Clemson outgained NC State, 303-166, in passing yards to produce more passing yards than its opponent in a 13th consecutive game, dating to last season, for the first time since an 18-game streak across the 2015-17 seasons.
Clemson held NC State to 10 points has now held 13 consecutive opponents to 20 or fewer points for the first time since the 1958-59 seasons under Head Coach Frank Howard.
Clemson held NC State to 290 yards and has now held 10 straight opponents below 300 yards of total offense and joined the 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide as the only teams since 2000 to hold opponents below 300 yards in each of the first 10 games of a season.
Clemson allowed only 166 passing yards and held an eighth straight opponent below 200 passing yards for the first time since a nine-game stretch in games 3-11 of the 2008 season.
Clemson allowed NC State to complete only 48.2 percent of passes and has now held five consecutive opponents to a completion percentage under 50.0 percent, Clemson's first such streak since October and November of 2014.
During the contest, Clemson (5,458) entered the Top 10 in school history in total yards in a single season.
Clemson’s seventh touchdown of the game was its 60th of the season, making the 2019 season the seventh 60-touchdown season in school history.
Clemson finished the first quarter with a 28-0 lead. In doing so, Clemson tied its school record for first-quarter points, matching the 28 points scored against Duke in the first quarter on Nov. 3, 2012.
The 28-point first quarter tied for the fourth-most in any quarter in school history. It was Clemson’s 23rd quarter of 28 points or more all-time.
Clemson has now outscored opponents by a 128-7 total in first quarters this season.
Clemson led at halftime, 42-0. According to ESPN Stats & Info, the 42-point halftime lead tied for the second-largest in an ACC game in the last 15 seasons (44, Louisville vs. NC State in 2016).
Clemson opened a game with touchdowns on four consecutive drives for the first time since Nov. 24, 2018, against South Carolina.
Clemson’s first two drives totaled 84 and 92 yards. It was Clemson’s first instance this season scoring on consecutive drives of 84 yards or longer.
Clemson scored at least 35 points against NC State for a third consecutive time for the first time in series history.
Clemson has now thrown three or more touchdowns as a team in five straight games for the second time in school history and the first time since the first five games of the 2013 season.
Clemson rushed for 246 yards and has now rushed for 200 yards in five straight games for the first time in the Dabo Swinney era and the first time since 2006.
Clemson has now rushed for multiple touchdowns in 11 consecutive games for the first time since a 15-game streak across the 2016-17 seasons.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence completed 20-of-27 passes for 276 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed eight times for a career-high 59 yards with a rushing touchdown.
Lawrence became the first Clemson quarterback to throw three touchdown passes in five consecutive games.
Lawrence has now thrown a touchdown pass in 20 consecutive games, adding to the longest active streak in the country. (Note: UCF's McKenzie Milton had a 24-game streak prior to suffering an injury in November 2018 that will likely preclude him from playing in 2019).
During the contest, Lawrence passed Charlie Whitehurst (59) for fourth in school history in career total touchdown responsibility.
Lawrence opened the scoring on Clemson’s opening drive on a seven-yard touchdown run. Clemson has now scored on its first possession of five straight games for the first time since games 6-10 of the 2011 season.
The rushing touchdown pushed Lawrence’s single-season career-high in rushing touchdowns to seven. It was his eighth career rushing touchdown.
Lawrence recorded a career-long 28-yard rush in the first quarter.
Running back Travis Etienne rushed 14 times for 112 yards with two rushing touchdowns and caught three passes for 31 yards with a receiving touchdown.
With 18 points in the game, Etienne (324) passed C.J. Spiller (308) to become the highest-scoring non-kicker in Clemson history. Etienne now trails only kickers Chandler Catanzaro (404), Greg Huegel (379) and Aaron Hunt (329) on Clemson's all-time career scoring leaderboard.
With a fifth straight 100-yard rushing game, Etienne tied the school record for consecutive 100-yard rushing games set by Kenny Flowers in 1985 and by Raymond Priester in 1996-97 (five each).
Etienne recorded his 15th career 100-yard rushing game to tie Raymond Priester for second on Clemson's all-time leaderboard for career 100-yard rushing games. Etienne now sits two games shy of Wayne Gallman's school career record of 17 from 2014-16.
Etienne posted his sixth 100-yard rushing game this season to take sole possession of fifth-most in a single season in school history.
Etienne’s eight-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter was the 50th rushing touchdown of his career, making him only the third player in ACC history to record 50 career rushing touchdowns (52 by James Conner and 50 by Lamar Jackson).
Etienne has now scored multiple rushing touchdowns in three consecutive games for the first time this season and the first time since the Duke, South Carolina and Pitt games in 2018.
Etienne has now recorded 752 rushing yards in the last five games, breaking Terrence Flagler’s school record for the most rushing yards in a five-game span in a single season (744 in 1986).
On a four-yard touchdown reception from Lawrence in the first quarter, Etienne broke C.J. Spiller's (51) school record for career total touchdowns with his 52nd career touchdown (prior to adding Nos. 53 and 54 later in the game). The receiving touchdown was his second of the season and the fourth of his career.
Etienne recorded his 12th rushing touchdown of the season on a 19-yard run in the first quarter. He added his 13th of the season on an eight-yard run in the third quarter.
During the game, Etienne (3,638) passed C.J. Spiller (3,547) for third on the school's all-time career rushing yardage leaderboard.
Etienne (4,377) also passed Raymond Priester (4,282) and James Davis (4,335) for sixth on the school leaderboard for career all-purpose yards.
Wide receiver Tee Higgins caught four passes for 73 yards and recorded his fifth touchdown reception of the season on a 33-yard scoring pass from Lawrence in the first quarter.
With the touchdown reception, Higgins tied Artavis Scott (19 from 2014-16) for sixth on the school's all-time leaderboard for career receiving touchdowns.
During the game, Higgins (2,016) passed Jacoby Ford (1,986) for 14th on the school's career receiving yardage list.
Higgins also became the 14th player in Clemson history to record 2,000 career receiving yards.
Wide receiver Justyn Ross posted a team-high 75 yards on four receptions, including a 33-yard touchdown grab from Lawrence in the second quarter.
Ross has now caught a touchdown in back-to-back games for the first time this season and the first time since the two games of the College Football Playoff last season.
Offensive lineman John Simpson recorded his first career rushing touchdown on a one-yard run in the second quarter. He became the first Clemson offensive lineman to score a touchdown since Brandon Thomas recovered a fumble in the end zone at Georgia Tech on Oct. 29, 2011.
Running back Michel Dukes recorded his second career touchdown on a one-yard run on Clemson’s final drive.
During the contest, running back Lyn-J Dixon (1,025) reached 1,000 career rushing yards.
Clemson recovered four fumbles, the team’s most in a game in the Dabo Swinney era. The team’s most fumble recoveries under Swinney had been three, including most recently in a 24-22 victory against Notre Dame in torrential rains in 2015.
Linebackers James Skalski and Chad Smith combined for Clemson’s first turnover of the game when Skalski recorded his first career forced fumble that was recovered by Smith for his second career fumble recovery.
Defensive tackle Tyler Davis recorded his first career fumble recovery in the first quarter.
Defensive end Xavier Thomas added his first career fumble recovery in the second quarter to thwart a drive that had entered the Clemson red zone.
Long snapper Jack Maddox added his first career fumble recovery in the fourth quarter.
Defensive end Logan Rudolph recorded his first career sack.
Captains for the contest were safety Tanner Muse, wide receiver Diondre Overton, linebacker Isaiah Simmons and offensive lineman John Simpson.