Clemson Football: 3 Takeaways from upset loss to NC State

The signs were there for Clemson Football, but the loss to NC State still seems shocking. What now for the Tigers?

It is simply stunning to see a Clemson Football team under Dabo Swinney look this inept on offense and so lifeless at times. The Tigers were mostly given a pass against Georgia, as the Bulldogs have a dominant defense, but looking so terrible offensively against Georgia Tech and NC State is something else entirely.

If you had to place one bet on a power five team to win their conference before the season, Clemson football sure did seem like the easiest bet that you could make.

The thought was that the gap between Clemson and the rest of the ACC was so wide, that even if the Tigers took a step back without Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne, they would still be easy winners in the ACC. There is still a long way to go this season, but the Tigers do not look like the best team in the conference up to this point.

The problems today were the same that they have been all season for the Tigers. The offensive line looks lost and outpowered on nearly every snap. The Tigers have no running game to speak of, although freshman Will Shipley looks like he is making strides.

What is even more surprising is how bad quarterback DJ Uiagalelei looks so far this season. It looks like Uiagalelei does not have good control of the offense and is not making the proper plays when needed.

It feels like the Tigers are going to get this fixed eventually given their talent level, but what if they don’t? This offensive line seems like it is going to be an issue all season and that is going to be a problem. Swinney is one of the best coaches in college football, but he is going to have to do some serious work to improve this year’s Clemson team.

Here are the three takeaways from Clemson’s game vs NC State