Every team in the ACC, as Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson sees it, is good on one side of the ball and not so good – or at least, not as good – on the other.

His own team’s defensive concerns are out in the open. Pittsburgh, Virginia and North Carolina have the same issue. Clemson, Syracuse and Virginia Tech are offensively challenged, but don’t give up many points.

All of them with a yin-and-yang to things – except for this N.C. State team.

“Every team, you’d say they’re good on this side and this side isn’t as strong,” Clawson said. “You can’t say that about N.C. State.”

In the Wolfpack, not only does Clawson see the biggest hurdle left to clear for a berth in the ACC championship game, but he sees a defense in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense and an offense led by a superb quarterback and filled with dangerous weapons at the skill positions.

Here’s what to know about N.C. State ahead of Saturday night’s game:

1. Defense, defense, defense

In addition to having a top-10 scoring defense nationally, N.C. State’s rushing defense is the best in the ACC and 10th-best in the country, only allowing 100.6 yards per game.

N.C. State’s defense throws a bit of a different look at opposing offenses – the Wolfpack’s base defense is a 3-3-5.

“They do a lot of different things, and I think our offense, we have a lot of different things in store,” slot receiver Jaquarii Roberson said. “I think it’s going to be a physical defense.”

The most points N.C. State has allowed this season was 31 in a loss to Miami; Wake Forest boasts the No. 3 scoring offense (44.7 points per game) in the country and has scored at least 35 in every game.

2. … in spite of injuries

Nos. 1 and 2 are closely tied together.

It’s more impressive that N.C. State’s defense has continued to play at a high level through the loss of four starters to season-ending injuries, including preseason All-ACC linebacker Payton Wilson, who led the ACC in tackles per game last season.

The Wolfpack’s linebacker corps took another hit a few weeks ago with the loss of Isaiah Moore, who’s still third on the team with 43 tackles despite only playing six games. On the defensive line, nose tackle C.J. Clark only played three games; and in the secondary Florida State transfer Cyrus Fagan was lost after two games.

N.C. State has steadied itself through the injuries by leaning on a couple of playmakers in linebacker Drake Thomas and safety Tanner Ingle. Thomas leads the Wolfpack in tackles (75), sacks (four), tackles for loss (7½) and interceptions (two); Ingle has 60 tackles, second on team.

“Those two guys pop off the film. Those two are heat-seeking missiles,” Clawson said. “They make so many plays, they’re so productive.”

3. Wide receiver trio

Getting the obvious point out of the way first: N.C. State doesn’t have a receiver as talented as UNC’s Josh Downs (few teams do).

What the Wolfpack does have is a trio of dangerous options in Emeka Emezie, Devin Carter and Thayer Thomas.

Emezie and Carter are the outside threats, and Emezie – the receiver who fumbled at the goal line late in Wake’s 30-24 win in Winston-Salem in 2017 – is the leading receiver with 44 catches for 550 yards. They’re about the same size, both at 6-3, with Carter listed at 216 pounds and Emezie at 212.

Thomas is the slot receiver who’s also the Wolfpack’s punt returner. He’s the older brother of the linebacker mentioned above, Drake Thomas.

Clawson called Thayer Thomas “excellent” in his evaluation of N.C. State’s offense.

4. Devin Leary

This should come as no shock, given the level of QB play in the ACC this season – but N.C. State quarterback Devin Leary is playing at a really high level.

“It’s funny that people are talking about all of the great quarterback play in the ACC this year and we’ve got four (semifinalists) for the Davey O’Brien Award, and I’m telling you this guy Devin Leary is playing as well as anybody,” Clawson said.

Leary isn’t one of the four ACC quarterbacks to make that list, but he obviously has the Deacons’ attention.

Like Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman, Leary is in his fourth season and is a redshirt sophomore. The Sicklerville, N.J., native was playing at a high level last season before a fractured fibula ended his season in October, and he’s come back better than ever.

“He really is. He’s thrown the ball for close to 2,500 yards, 25 touchdowns and he’s only thrown three picks,” Clawson said.

5. Wolfpack in Winston-Salem

We can’t talk about this game without pointing out past history in the series, right?

N.C. State has lost eight of the last nine times it came to Winston-Salem. Among the quarterbacks of those N.C. State teams to lose to the Deacons are Philip Rivers, Russell Wilson, Mike Glennon and Ryan Finley – all former or current NFL starters.

The Wolfpack’s last trip to Wake Forest was a 44-10 win for the Deacons, and the 34-point margin was Wake’s largest margin of victory against N.C. State since 1943 (54-6).