The Notes: No. 5 Clemson 30, No. 10 NC State 20

Clemson and NC State played the highest-ranked game in the series' 90-game history. Previously, the highest combined ranking in a game between the two programs came in their 2018 matchup, when No. 3 Clemson defeated No. 16 NC State, 41-7.

Clemson and NC State met with both teams ranked in the AP Top 25 for the sixth time in series history, joining ranked meetings in 1986, 1991, 1992, 2017 and 2018. 

Clemson did not allow a sack for the first time this season. Since 2011, Clemson is undefeated when it does not allow a sack.

Clemson reached the 30-point mark for the 10th time in an 11-game span, dating to last season.

Clemson did not turn the ball over and has now played consecutive games without a giveaway for the first time since last year's Boston College and Syracuse games.

Clemson won the turnover margin, 2-0, finished even or positive in the turnover margin for a ninth consecutive game, dating to last season. It represented Clemson's first time doing so over nine games since 2019. Clemson's last game in which it lost the turnover margin was on Nov. 6 last season at Louisville.

Clemson converted its two takeaways into 10 points in the 10-point victory.

Clemson held NC State to 34 rushing yards on 21 carries, a 1.6-yard average. NC State entered the game averaging 157.5 yards per carry this season.

Clemson records its 31st time holding an opponent under 2.0 yards per carry since 2014, the second-most in the nation.

Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei completed 21-of-30 passes for 209 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. He also rushed for a career-high 73 yards on 14 carries and tied his single-game career high with two rushing touchdowns.

Uiagalelei improved to 16-4 as a starter. He tied Kelly Bryant (16-2 from 2015-18) and Cullen Harper (16-9 from 2005-08) for the 14th-most wins by a Clemson starting quarterback since World War II.

With the 209-yard performance Saturday, Uiagalelei (4,402) passed Steve Fuller (4,359 from 1975-78) to enter the top 10 in program history in career passing yards. 

Uiagalelei took sole possession of the 10th-most career passing touchdowns in school history. 

Uiagalelei has now rushed for at least 50 yards in three straight games for the first time in his career. He is the first Clemson quarterback to accomplish the feat since Kelly Bryant in 2017.

Uiagalelei scored his second rushing touchdown of the season — the 10th rushing touchdown of his career — on a one-yard touchdown run with 31 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

The touchdown run by Uiagalelei came on the first play after running back Will Shipley recorded a career-long 26-yard reception late in the second quarter on a pass from Uiagalelei.

Clemson started that touchdown drive with 1:51 remaining in the half. The Tigers moved 75 yards in eight plays over 1:20 to take the halftime lead.

Tight end Jake Briningstool added to his single-season career high with his third touchdown reception of the season on a seven-yard pass from Uiagalelei.

Briningstool has now caught a touchdown in consecutive games for the first time in his career.

Briningstool’s touchdown was set up by a career-long 38-yard rush by Uiagalelei that put the Tigers inside the NC State 10-yard line. 

Clemson opened the scoring on a 13-play, 72-yard drive that ended with a 20-yard B.T. Potter field goal. Clemson has scored on its opening possession in nine of its last 10 games dating to last season. 

Potter also added a 46-yard field goal in the second quarter and a 44-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. Potter added to his Clemson records for career field goals of 40 yards or more (29). 

Potter has now kicked three field goals in back-to-back games for the first time since the Louisville and UConn games last November.

On his third field goal of the game, Potter (63) tied Obed Ariri (63 from 1977-80) and Chris Gardocki (63 from 1988-90) for third in Clemson history in career field goals.

Linebacker Barrett Carter recorded his first career sack on the second half’s first play from scrimmage. 

Two plays later, defensive end Myles Murphy recorded his first sack of the game. He split another sack with Tyler Davis in the fourth quarter, pushing his career total to 13.0.

Cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. recorded his first career interception, picking off NC State quarterback Devin Leary in the third quarter.

Defensive end K.J. Henry recorded the fourth fumble recovery of his career on a fourth down in the fourth quarter.

Clemson hosted NC State at Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2018. The teams’ scheduled meeting in Clemson in 2020 was canceled when the ACC released its eventual pandemic-adjusted schedule during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 1,077-day gap between Clemson home games in the series was the longest stretch between Clemson/NC State games in Death Valley since a 1,463-day gap between Wolfpack visits in 1967 and 1971.

Clemson welcomed College GameDay to its campus for the eighth time in the program's history, including special Thursday editions. Clemson improved to 7-1 at home in College GameDay feature contests.

Clemson welcomed College GameDay six years to the day of the program's last broadcast at its traditional on-campus location on Bowman Field. That broadcast preceded Clemson's classic 42-36 win against Louisville on Oct. 1, 2016. College GameDay's two most recent visits to Clemson emanated from special in-stadium locations in 2019 (launch of ACC Network) and 2020 (COVID-19 pandemic).

Death Valley hosted its sixth all-time game between two teams with perfect records of 4-0 or better. It was the first such matchup since 2018 against NC State, a 41-7 Clemson win. Clemson improved to 5-1 all-time in such contests at Memorial Stadium.

Dabo Swinney tied North Carolina and Wake Forest’s Bill Dooley (191) for third-most career games as an ACC head coach. Swinney’s 191 career games as an ACC head coach already represent a Clemson record, as only 172 of Frank Howard’s 295 career games at Clemson came as a member of the ACC.

Captains for the contest were tight end Davis Allen, defensive tackle Tyler Davis, offensive lineman Walker Parks and linebacker Trenton Simpson.