Inside the game

N.C. State's high-powered offense had Clemson running back C.J. Spiller thinking it would take a lot of points to outscore the Wolfpack on Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium.

But quarterback Russell Wilson couldn't get much going against a talented, experienced Clemson secondary. He was just 12-for-32 for 183 yards as the Tigers won 43-23 to eliminate N.C. State (4-6, 1-5 ACC) from bowl contention.

Game balls

S Clem Johnson: Tied for the team lead with seven tackles unofficially, broke up a pass and nearly caused a fumble in the third quarter that would have given the Wolfpack a spark.

RB Toney Baker : Rushed for 76 yards on 19 carries and had a big third-down catch for 26 yards against a strong Clemson defense.

Penalty flags

N.C. State wide receivers Owen Spencer and Jarvis Williams each dropped two passes, and the Wolfpack dropped five in the game.

Drops have been a problem for N.C. State since the season-opener. A group of wide receivers who came into the season with high hopes has performed below expectations.

Looking ahead

Other than pride, there's not much for N.C. State to play for in Saturday's 3:30 p.m. game at Virginia Tech. The Wolfpack has been eliminated from bowl contention and hasn't won a road game all season as it visits one of the most difficult environments in the ACC.