Late in the second quarter of the Tigers’ 59-35 win at Memorial Stadium, Wolfpack starting left tackle Anthony Belton was ejected for, in the words of the referees, “spitting on an opponent” following a sack by Clemson’s T.J. Parker.

N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren yells at Anthony Belton (74) as he comes off the field after he was called for a penalty during the first half of N.C. State’s game against Clemson at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. Belton was ejected from the game. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com

No. 19 Clemson left no doubt against North Carolina State, sending a message to the rest of the ACC that they're going to be tough to overcome.

No. 21 Clemson was left for dead after getting crushed by No. 2 Georgia in Week 1. The Tigers looked like a shell of the championship-caliber teams of old, and quarterback Cade Klubnik failed to show any growth in his second season as the starter.