Quick hits from NC States loss to Clemson

CLEMSON, S.C. — Quick hits and notes from NC State's wild 62-48 loss at Clemson on Saturday in front of 76,000 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C.

Fighting back

As coach Tom O'Brien noted after the game, it was certainly a game of runs. Clemson jumped out to a 13-0 lead and NC State fought their way back to a two score lead with 24 unanswered points. Clemson poured on 42 straight points from there to make it 55-24 before scoring twice to make it 55-38. The Wolfpack allowed another touchdown before scoring 10 more points for the final of 62-48.

The Pack never stopped fighting, though, no matter how big the deficit was. They continued to play, and actually outscored Clemson in the second half, 24-21, but the deficit they took into halftime was too big to overcome. NC State has not won a game this season when they have allowed more than seven points in the first quarter. The team has been outscored 97-49 in the first quarter of their losses this season, although they did hold a 21-13 advantage after 15 minutes.

Tobais Palmer's monster day

It was a record-setting day for both teams. However, redshirt senior Tobais Palmer had one of the finest days in NC State football history with 496 all-purpose yards, which is an ACC and NC State record. The previous high for the school was 336, set by T.J. Graham at Cincinnati last year (336). The league's previous high was 411 yards, set by John Leach of Wake Forest in 1993.

Palmer also set a school record for kickoff return yards, breaking another mark that was previously held by Graham. Palmer's total of 277 kickoff return yards was just six shy of the ACC mark; Graham's previous program standard was 202, set against Duke in 2009.

The Pittsboro, N.C., native also set career-highs with 219 receiving yards and three touchdown catches today. That marks the third-best total in program history, trailing only Wolfpack great Torry Holt, who had two higher totals in 1998.

Other records fall

In a game that produced video game-like statistics, several other records fell on both sides, as well as other ACC standards. Quarterback Mike Glennon tied the school record with five touchdown passes, a mark that he has reached three times in his career, including earlier this year against North Carolina.

Glennon also passed for a career-best 493 yards, which stands as the second-best single-game total in program history behind Shane Montgomery's 535 against Duke in 1989. It marked Glennon's third contest with at least 400 yards passing - only NC State legend Philip Rivers has ever had more in a single season, when he did it five times in 2003 - but interestingly State is 0-3 in those games despite Glennon's total of 14 touchdown throws against five picks.

Tight end Mario Carter set career bests with seven catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. He and Palmer combine to give NC State a pair of players with at least 100 yards receiving in the same game for just the eighth time in school history. When running back Shadrach Thornton's 114 yards rushing is factored in, it was just the second time ever that the Pack has had a rusher and two receivers total over 100 yards. The other time came in 2003 against Virginia, when T.A. McLendon ran and caught over 100 yards, while Jerricho Cotchery also hauled in over 100 yards receiving.

Fifth-year safety Earl Wolff also tied a personal best with 18 tackles, a total that he has reached twice before this year. He notched 18 stops against Tennessee and Virginia, and tallied 17 against Maryland.

NC State's 48 points were the most in a loss in school history, the previous high was 44 in a 2003 loss to Florida State. The 62 points allowed were the most since Virginia netted 62 in 1996. Clemson's 754 offensive yards were the most given up by NC State in program history.

The teams' 110 combined points represented the most ever for both schools in an ACC game, while it marked the second-most combined points in an ACC game ever, falling short of Georgia Tech and North Carolina's 118 earlier this season.

On the other side, Clemson set several school records, while quarterback Tajh Boyd staked a claim in a few ACC marks. Boyd set the ACC single-game record for touchdown responsibility with eight - five passing and three rushing. The previous league standard was six, and it is enough to give Boyd the ACC single-season record with 41, breaking the mark he set last year with 38.

Boyd's 529 yards of total offense and 426 yards passing also both stand as school records. The previous total offense mark was set by Woodrow Dantzler against NC State in 2001, when he recorded 517.

The Tigers had a pair of 100-yard rushers and 100-yard receivers en route to 754 total yards. They totaled 328 on the ground and 426 through the air, which marks just the third time in school history that they have recorded at least 300 of each. The total is the second-most in school history, and fell just two yards shy of the Clemson single-game record. It was the third 700-yard game in school history, and the second of this year.

Clemson's 62 points stand as the second-most ever for the program against a fellow ACC squad. They totaled eight touchdowns, which pushed their season total to 63, a new school record; and they have also set a new program mark with 491 points scored this year. They ran 102 plays on offense, which broke the previous program record of 98, set against Maryland in 1992.

More on NC State's offense

The Pack racked up 597 yards from scrimmage, which is the fourth time the team has piled up at least 500, and it stands as the second-best total this year behind the 664 yards against Miami. That stands as the seventh-best single-season total in program history.

Spotted at the game

Scouts from the Belk and Chick-fil-A Bowls, as well as representatives of Florida Citrus Sports, which is in charge of the Russell Athletic Bowl, were in attendance at the game.