Setting up your Saturday: N.C. State’s unbeaten record put to test at Clemson

North Carolina State is college football’s most surprising unbeaten Power 5 team as the season moves into the second half.

The route to 5-0 was made easier by the September matchup against West Virginia getting canceled because of Hurricane Florence, but Ryan Finley and Co. have earned their unbeaten record, boasting the nation’s No. 6 passing offense (335.4 yards per game) and the top third-down conversion rate (60.9 percent).

It makes No. 16 N.C. State the greatest remaining obstacle standing between No. 3 Clemson and yet another trip to the College Football Playoff.

“It’s execution, it’s precision, it’s a quarterback who shows great experience in his decision-making,” Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “The system is one thing, but the guy that’s pulling the trigger and making all of those decisions and throwing with accuracy and throwing on time is a big part of it. They’ve got an experienced group of receivers, an experienced group of linemen up front and, again, a quarterback that sees the field and really understands ball.”

Each of the past two years against N.C. State, Clemson eked out a win in a one-score game. In 2016, the Wolfpack missed what would have been the game-winning 33-yard field goal before losing in overtime. Last year, the Tigers held on for a 38-31 win. N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren said he can use those experiences to motivate his players. They know they can go toe-to-toe with the Tigers, and they shouldn’t be intimidated by talented true freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence or a defensive line packed with future NFL Draft picks.

“We’ve emphasized it,” Doeren said. “I have said, ‘Every rep matters,’ to these guys for the past two years. I’ve probably said that as much as I’ve said anything. You don’t know what the play is that can cost you or win you a game. You have to approach it that way.

“People all talk about the last play of the game because that was the one they remember. There was plenty of opportunities in both of those games where we could have won and didn’t. Dropped the pass, had a pass interference on a critical third down, had a field goal blocked before we missed the one that was a chip shot. Every rep matters — it is a big deal in a big game.”

What to watch

Key games The Athletic will be staffing this Saturday:

No. 6 Michigan at No. 24 Michigan State
Noon ET, FOX | Cody Stavenhagen on the meaning of the rivalry | Colton Pouncy on the Sparty Watch tradition

No. 9 Oklahoma at TCU
Noon ET, ABC | Jason Kersey’s Sooners preview

Maryland at No. 19 Iowa
Noon ET, ESPN2 | Scott Dochterman’s Hawkeyes preview

Illinois at No. 23 Wisconsin
Noon ET, FS1 | Jesse Temple’s Badgers preview

Auburn at Ole Miss
Noon ET, ESPN | Justin Ferguson’s Tigers preview

No. 1 Alabama at Tennessee
3:30 p.m. ET, CBS | Aaron Suttles’ Crimson Tide preview | David Ubben’s Volunteers preview

No. 16 N.C. State at No. 3 Clemson
3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN | Matt Fortuna on Clemson’s path to the Playoff

Colorado at No. 15 Washington
3:30 p.m. ET, FOX | Christian Caple’s Huskies preview

No. 18 Penn State at Indiana
3:30 p.m. ET, ABC | Audrey Snyder’s Nittany Lions preview

Wake Forest at Florida State
3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2 | Tashan Reed’s Seminoles preview

No. 2 Ohio State at Purdue
7:30 p.m. ET, ABC | Bill Landis’ Buckeyes preview

No. 12 Oregon at No. 25 Washington State
7:30 p.m. ET, FOX | Tyson Alger’s Ducks preview

USC at Utah
8 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network | Antonio Morales’ Trojans preview

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(Photo of Ryan Finley by Grant Halverson / Getty Images)