Nov 4, 2017; Raleigh, NC, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Kelly Bryant (2) stiff arms North Carolina State Wolfpack cornerback Johnathan Alston (5) as he runs into the endzone during the second half at Carter-Finley Stadium. Clemson won 38-31. Photo Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
RALEIGH, N.C. — Quarterback Kelly Bryant ran for two touchdowns and threw for another as No. 4 Clemson withstood No. 20 North Carolina State for a 38-31 victory Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Clemson now controls its destiny in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Atlantic Division after handing the Wolfpack (6-3, 4-1 ACC) its first league loss.
The Tigers (8-1, 6-1) can clinch a return to the ACC Championship Game by defeating Florida State next week, or if N.C. State loses any of its three remaining conference games.
Bryant was 20-for-38 for 191 yards through the air and he also gained 88 yards on 20 carries.
Running back/tight end Jaylen Samuels scored a pair of first-half touchdowns for N.C. State, which lost to a Top 10 team for the second week in a row. Wolfpack quarterback Ryan Finley completed 31 of 50 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns.
Backup kicker Kyle Bambard’s 22-yard field goal for N.C. State with 1:51 left cut the margin to a one-possession game. Clemson recovered an onside kick but had to punt away after the Wolfpack used three timeouts.
N.C. State had the ball at its own 20 with 1:24 remaining. After a fourth-down pick-up, the Wolfpack moved to the Clemson 28 before a fourth-down interception by K’Von Wallace on the final play.
Clemson had three third-quarter possessions in N.C. State territory, but didn’t score until the third of those. The Tigers grabbed their first lead of the game on Deon Cain’s 12-yard reception from Bryant at the quarter’s 3:31 mark.
Then Clemson went up 31-21 when running back Tavien Feaster rambled 89 yards on the final play of the quarter on the first snap following a punt.
The Wolfpack came right back, with Finley throwing 15 yards to Jakobi Meyers with 12:23 to play.
N.C. State regained possession, but Ryan Carter picked off Finley’s pass — only his second interception thrown this season — to give the Tigers possession at the N.C. State 27.
After a fourth-and-5 conversion on Hunter Renfrow’s catch-and-run, Bryant ran 1 yard for a touchdown.
The first half had a rapid pace of offense before N.C. State settled for a 21-17 lead at the break.
The Wolfpack struck first when Finley threw 40 yards to Kelvin Harmon, who scored the team’s lone offensive touchdown a week earlier at Notre Dame.
Clemson got on the board on Ray-Ray McCloud ‘s 77-yard punt return.
NOTES: Clemson leads the series 57-28-1. … N.C. State’s last victory in the series came in 2011, when Clemson was ranked No. 7. … Clemson has won nine games in a row against Top 25 opponents. … N.C. State RB Nyheim Hines, who left in the first quarter a week earlier at Notre Dame with a sprained ankle, had eight carries for 34 yards. … N.C. State has allowed a rushing touchdown of more than 75 yards in consecutive games. Last week, Notre Dame’s Josh Adams sprinted 77 yards for a score. … Clemson takes on Florida State in its ACC finale next week at home. … N.C. State visits Boston College next week.
