Pack no match for tough Tigers

RALEIGH -- While waiting for the game, some of N.C. State's players saw highlights of Clemson running back C.J. Spiller on ESPN at the team hotel.

They hardly needed to be reminded of Spiller's ability. He is the ACC career all-purpose yardage leader and has crept into contention in a wide-open Heisman Trophy race.

So how did he get so wide open for a 34-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of N.C. State's 43-23 loss to the 24th-ranked Tigers on Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium?

Coach Tom O'Brien had difficulty explaining. He didn't understand why the Wolfpack defenders made the coverage check that they did. He said two freshmen in the secondary weren't where they were supposed to be.

"That's just bad defense," he said.

No defender was within 10 yards of Spiller as Kyle Parker hit him for one of the easiest scores Spiller will ever have. It was just one of a litany of mistakes by N.C. State (4-6, 1-5 ACC), which was eliminated from bowl contention.

On a third-and-11 play in the second quarter, the Wolfpack lost track of Jacoby Ford - Clemson's other big-play threat - as he split the safeties for a 47-yard pass from Parker.

N.C. State's offense, which had been productive while the defense struggled in recent weeks, also made some frustrating mistakes. The Wolfpack wideouts dropped five passes among them, with Jarvis Williams and Owen Spencer dropping two apiece.

"It's just a matter of focusing," said wide receiver Koyal George, who dropped a fourth-quarter pass in the end zone. "... We just didn't get the job done. That's one thing we have to go back and work on."

Quarterback Russell Wilson had one of his worst days, going 12-for-32 passing for 183 yards. And with a talented opponent on a roll playing at Carter-Finley, O'Brien said the Wolfpack needed to play a nearly perfect game to have a chance to win.

Clemson (7-3, 5-2) needs only to defeat Virginia on Saturday to clinch the Atlantic Division's bid to the ACC championship game and a Dec. 5 date against Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Spiller, a senior who's expected to be a high first-round draft pick, has carried the Tigers to five straight wins and made a huge impact Saturday.

He became the first player in Clemson history to score touchdowns as a rusher, receiver and passer in the same game. He rushed for 97 yards on 18 carries and added three receptions for 48 yards.

Even his ugliest play produced a touchdown. On a halfback option in the second quarter, he lofted a 17-yard pass to a wide-open Xavier Dye for a score.

"I got a lot of grief on the sidelines," Spiller said, laughing. "It was a duck. But it got us six points."

N.C. State will have to dig deeply to find emotional energy the next two weeks at Virginia Tech and against North Carolina.

O'Brien said he will stick with his current lineup rather than casting aside the upperclassmen in favor of a youth movement over the next two weeks. After the game, he reminded the players that they can finish with a .500 record if they win their last two games.

A bowl game is out of reach because two of State's wins are against Football Championship Subdivision teams.

"It's definitely disappointing, especially with the high hopes we had for this season," senior safety Clem Johnson said. "We're just going to keep fighting. We have two games left, and it's going to be big for us to get to .500."

No. 24 Clemson 43, N.C. State 23

FIRST QUARTER

Clem--FG Benton 28, 6:04.

SECOND QUARTER

Clem--J.Ford 17 run (Benton kick), 14:29. Clem--Dye 17 pass from Spiller (Benton kick), 12:48. NCSt--George 18 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick), 6:42. Clem--Palmer 5 pass from Parker (Benton kick), 4:09.

THIRD QUARTER

NCSt--Ja.Williams 8 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick), 11:08. Clem--Spiller 16 run (kick failed), 7:56.

FOURTH QUARTER

NCSt--FG Czajkowski 26, 13:55. Clem--Spiller 34 pass from Parker (kick failed), 10:05. Clem--Harper 69 run (Jackson kick), 8:42. NCSt--Ja.Williams 2 pass from Glennon (pass failed), :03.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--Clemson, Spiller 18-97, Harper 4-86, Ellington 7-31, Parker 3-21, J.Ford 1-17, Korn 3-2. N.C. State, Baker 19-76, Eugene 15-37, R.Wilson 7-25.

PASSING--Clemson, Parker 12-18-0-183, Spiller 1-1-0-17. N.C. State, R.Wilson 12-32-1-183, Glennon 4-6-0-56, Team 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING--Clemson, Palmer 4-50, Spiller 3-48, J.Ford 2-55, Dye 2-34, Ashe 1-9, Harper 1-4. N.C. State, Spencer 3-50, Ja.Williams 3-44, Bryan 3-29, George 2-27, Baker 1-26, Bowens 1-22, Davis 1-18, Howard 1-16, J.Smith 1-7.

Att.--57,583.