Clemson football plays NC State today: Kickoff time, TV channel, score

It’s time for Clemson football’s ACC opener.

The Tigers are playing a second straight home game in Memorial Stadium and will take on the NC State Wolfpack – a program that’s had their number in recent seasons — in their first conference game of 2024.

Here’s your gameday guide for the Textile Bowl.

Clemson vs. NC State game, TV info

• Who: No. 21 Clemson (1-1, 0-0 ACC) vs. NC State (2-1, 0-0 ACC)

• When: noon Saturday

• Where: Memorial Stadium in Clemson

• TV: ABC

• Broadcast crew: Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath

• Stream: Via ESPN or the ESPN app

• Radio: 105.5 FM in the Clemson area (see list of all Clemson radio affiliates here)

• Satellite radio: Sirius XM 82

• Series history: Clemson leads 60-30-1; NC State won last meeting

Clemson vs. NC State Vegas odds

Clemson is favored by 20.5 points against NC State, according to the VegasInsider.com consensus line. It’s the Tigers’ largest point spread of the year after they were favored by 17 points against App State in Week 2.

The Clemson-NC State line opened at anywhere from Clemson -14 to Clemson -15 in various sportsbooks last Sunday — but has jumped up to nearly three touchdowns, mostly because of NC State’s quarterback situation.

As of Saturday morning, it’s dropped a bit to a consensus Clemson -18.5.

Weather forecast for Clemson, SC

It’ll be hot, but not scorching. The Weather.com 10-day forecast projects partly cloudy skies, light winds and a high of 88 degrees for Saturday’s noon kickoff in Clemson. There’s a chance of rain, but it’s minimal (9%).

Top storylines for the game

• About that NC State quarterback situation: Thanks to an injury last week, the Wolfpack will be starting a true freshman in CJ Bailey. Transfer quarterback Grayson McCall — who previously starred at Coastal Carolina — left NC State’s Sept. 14 game against Louisiana Tech with an undisclosed injury. Bailey spelled him and helped the Wolfpack come back from a 17-6 halftime deficit to win 30-20. Bailey (6-foot-6, 190 pounds) was especially efficient in the second half, going 12-17 for 144 yards with a rushing touchdown. His first career start, though, will come in quite the sellout road game environment.

• The playing status of two Clemson starters heading into the NC State game is up in the air. Coach Dabo Swinney said Wednesday that DE Peter Woods and WR Tyler Brown are both “getting better” but remain day-to-day headed into Saturday. Brown twisted his ankle in the first quarter of the App State game two weeks ago and didn’t return, while Woods was injured on a cut block to his leg/knee area. Two other players are back at full health: Starting left guard Marcus Tate and reserve offensive lineman Trent Howard.

• If NC State’s two wins against Clemson the past three seasons seem rare, it’s because they are. Since 2015, the Wolfpack is one of only two ACC teams to beat Clemson twice. The other is Pitt. That’s quite the notable feat against a Tigers team that has won 89% of its conference teams (71-9) over the last 10 seasons. Both NC State upsets of Clemson came in Raleigh, though, in 2021 and 2023. The Wolfpack hasn’t won a game against Clemson in Death Valley in 22 years and is 0-9 in the venue since 2002. Swinney is 11-3 all-time against NC State and 8-2 against its coach, Dave Doeren.

• In an expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, there’s a premium on conference play. As much as Clemson’s 31-point loss to Georgia in its season opener stung, Swinney’s correct in emphasizing that it doesn’t change the Tigers’ playoff roadmap one bit. Because the ACC champion receives an automatic berth to the CFP, taking care of business in conference and getting to Charlotte for the league title game is the clear winning formula. For a Tigers team intent on getting back to that national stage, a 1-0 start to ACC play would be a small but notable step forward for a team that started 0-2 and finished 4-4 (tied for sixth) in the league last season.

Clemson vs. NC State players to watch

• Clemson TE Jake Briningstool: A senior who’s elevated his game annually, Briningstool had catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns against App State and enters this game as one of the most productive tight ends in school history.

• Clemson DT DeMonte Capehart: Clocked at running over 17 mph in the App State game, Capehart is having the breakout year many expected of him in his fifth season. He’s the team’s best defensive tackle and has six tackles so far.

• NC State WR KC Concepcion: A unique talent who can also play as a running back, the 5-11 Concepcion reached 1,000 career receiving yards in 15 games, faster than all but one other player in program history, and torched Clemson last year.

• NC State DE Davin Vann: Vann is a veteran team captain who’s started 32 straight games for NC State and already has nine tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss this year.

Clemson football 2024 schedule

• Aug. 31: vs. Georgia in Atlanta, L 34-3

• Sept. 7: vs. App State, W 66-20

• Sept. 14: OPEN

• Sept. 21: vs. NC State, noon (ABC)

• Sept. 28: vs. Stanford, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

• Oct. 5: at Florida State

• Oct. 12: at Wake Forest

• Oct. 19: vs. Virginia

• Oct. 26: OPEN

• Nov. 2: vs. Louisville

• Nov. 9: at Virginia Tech

• Nov. 16: at Pitt

• Nov. 23: vs. The Citadel

• Nov. 30: vs. South Carolina

Clemson football 2024 depth chart

As of Sept. 16

Offense

QB: Cade Klubnik (Christopher Vizzina)

RB: Phil Mafah (Keith Adams Jr. OR Jay Haynes)

Outside WR: Antonio Williams OR Bryant Wesco Jr. (Hampton Earle)

Slot WR: Tyler Brown OR Troy Stellato (Misun Kelley)

Outside WR: Adam Randall OR Cole Turner (T.J. Moore OR Noble Johnson)

TE: Jake Briningstool (Josh Sapp)

LT: Tristan Leigh OR Collin Sadler (Elyjah Thurmon)

LG: Marcus Tate OR Collin Sadler (Dietrick Pennington)

C: Ryan Linthicum (Harris Sewell)

RG: Walker Parks (Trent Howard)

RT: Blake Miller (Collin Sadler)

Defense

DE: Peter Woods (Jaheim Lawson)

DT: Payton Page OR Tré Williams (Vic Burley)

DT: DeMonte Capehart OR Tré Williams (Stephiylan Green)

DE: T.J. Parker (Cade Denhoff)

Strongside LB: Wade Woodaz (Jamal Anderson)

Middle LB: Wade Woodaz (Sammy Brown OR Dee Crayton)

Weakside LB: Barrett Carter (Sammy Brown OR Dee Crayton)

CB: Avieon Terrell (Shelton Lewis)

SS: Kylon Griffin OR Tyler Venables (Ricardo Jones)

FS: R.J. Mickens (Rob Billings)

Nickelback: Khalil Barnes (Shelton Lewis)

CB: Jeadyn Lukus (Ashton Hampton)

Special teams

PK: Nolan Hauser (Robert Gunn III)

P: Aidan Swanson (Jack Smith)

KO: Robert Gunn III

LS (PK): Holden Caspersen

LS (P): Philip Florenzo

H: Clay Swinney

PR: Antonio Williams

KOR: Phil Mafah (Tyler Brown)