When fans left Carter-Finley Stadium Saturday afternoon, they were given a treat that not many expected. Heck, even Coach Tom O’Brien said he was shocked at the outcome.
“I really have no explanation for what just happened,” O’Brien said with a smirk when he first addressed media members in the Murphy Center.
After scoring just 23 points in a span of three games, the Wolfpack used a 27-point second quarter to defeat the No. 7 Clemson Tigers.
N.C . State (6-5 overall, 3-4 ACC) used an array of defensive and offensive stars to tame the Tigers (9-2, 6-2) as it was able to pull out a 37-13 win to keep its bowl hopes alive.
The win was not only the first victory against a top-10 team for O’Brien, but also the first win against Clemson – a losing streak that stretched back to 2003.
O’Brien said he was impressed with the way the defense played throughout the game, but, more importantly, how it set up the offense in the second quarter.
“I think they did a great job,” O’Brien said. “Our defense was able to create good field position for our offense to start with, and it’s a lot easier when [the offense] gets some touchdowns out of it too.”
Though the Pack offense put up 27 points in the second quarter, the defense, led by junior linebacker Terrell Manning and redshirt freshman defensive end Art Norman, put State in Clemson territory on three of the five scoring drives.
Norman finished with 2.5 sacks for a total of 11 yards lost and a forced fumble, the first of his career. The forced fumble on a sack gave State the ball at the Clemson six-yard line.
Norman said the forced fumble was somewhat of a milestone for him in his career.
“That was my first sack fumble on the season,” Norman said with a huge smile. “It was a big deal for me. I was just really excited.”
If any player trumped Norman on the defense, it was Manning. The linebacker finished the game with 3.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and recovered the fumble that Norman forced in Clemson territory.
O’Brien said that Manning’s performance was thanks, in large part, to the way the defensive line played.
“Once we got our guys up front back, [Manning] and [ Audie ] Cole can make plays,” O’Brien said. “[Manning]’s the most experienced guy we have at that position. He’s playing at a very high level, but I still think it comes back to the guys up front that are allowing him to make those plays.”
The story offensively for the Pack was the resurgent play of redshirt junior Mike Glennon . After lackluster performances against Florida State, UNC-Chapel Hill and Boston College, three games which he combined to pass for only one touchdown, Glennon passed for 253 yards and three touchdowns.
The longest completion was on an explosive play to redshirt junior Tobais Palmer for 43 yards. Palmer shook a defender and juked another en route to third quarter touchdown to put the Pack up 37-6.
While the victory is State’s sixth of the year, Manning said he compares next week’s game at home against Maryland to a different type of playoff.
“I treat these games like high school playoffs,” Manning said. “It’s win or go home for us right now, so that’s the mentality we’re playing with.”
O’Brien echoed Manning’s thoughts toward the matchup with the Terrapins and said his players still have some making up to do in his mind.
“I told them tonight, I’m still mad at them for losing the last one [at Boston College],” O’Brien said. “I’m not going to forget that one. The only way for them to make that up is to beat Maryland.”
In the final moments before the two teams met on the field to shake hands, a few players dumped a cooler full of Gatorade on O’Brien. He said he felt the shower was a bit premature.
“They better save that until a bowl game,” O’Brien said. “Until we’re done. Until we win.”
