For the second time in three years, the No. 23 NC State football team will travel to Jacksonville, Florida to take on an SEC opponent in bowl season. This year in the Gator Bowl, the Wolfpack will take on Kentucky, looking to get to nine wins for the third time in four seasons.
In a season like no other, with teams and players opting out left and right due to COVID-19 issues or NFL draft hopes, NC State (8-3, 7-3 ACC) has made it clear that it wants to finish its season on the right note Jan. 2.
Junior All-American defensive tackle Alim McNeill and graduate tight end Cary Angeline have both elected to suit up one final time for the Wolfpack before preparing for the NFL draft.
“It’s about finishing what we started, and this group has enjoyed playing all year,” said NC State head coach Dave Doeren at his Dec. 31 press conference. “…You could tell from the get that they wanted to play. I’m excited about the opportunity of being back in the Gator Bowl against an SEC team.”
Kentucky (4-6, 4-6 SEC) played an all conference schedule this year and finished fourth out of seven teams in the SEC East division. In its last game of the regular season, the Wildcats dominated South Carolina, winning easily 41-18.
On the offensive side of the ball, Kentucky has not played to its standard this season. The Wildcats rank 13th of 14 in the conference in total yards per game with 311.8 and 11th in total points per game with 21.7.
NC State’s strong defensive front will be going up against a run-heavy offense that is led by running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. and dual-threat quarterback Terry Wilson.
Rodriguez leads the team with 701 yards on the ground this season and has nine total touchdowns. Rodriguez has surpassed the century mark four times this season and in all three of the team’s last three games. Asim Rose is also a key player for the Wildcats with 518 rushing yards this year.
“[Kentucky] is really big up front,” Doeren said. “They got two decorated offensive lineman and they are all experienced…The quarterback can run and their dedicated to running the football. So they’ll make it a physical game.”
Through the air, Wilson averages just 121.67 yards per game and has thrown for seven touchdowns and four interceptions. However, on the ground is where Wilson is most lethal, averaging 4.2 yards per carry and collecting five touchdowns, including this one against Ole Miss earlier this season.
His favorite target outside is Josh Ali, who has hauled in 462 yards receiving this season. When in the red zone, Wilson loves to go to Keaton Upshaw, who leads the receiving corps with three touchdown catches on the year.
After being embarrassed by dual-threat quarterback D’Eriq King of Miami for 430 yards passing, 105 yards rushing and five total touchdowns, NC State made an adjustment when it faced another dual threat in Malik Willis of Liberty. The Wolfpack picked off Willis three times and held him to just 216 all-purpose yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Wildcats give up 26.4 points per game in an up-and-down season. Their two best performances were in a 24-2 win over Mississippi State and a 34-7 win over Tennessee, in which they picked off the Volunteers three times and returned two for touchdowns.
Linebacker Jamin Davis is the heart and soul of the Wildcats defense. He ranks sixth in the SEC with 89 tackles and also has two interceptions to his name. Linebacker Jamar Watson is also a problem, as he leads the team with five sacks.
NC State redshirt junior quarterback Bailey Hockman will be wary of defensive back Kelvin Joseph, who is tied for the lead in the SEC with four interceptions on the season.
Despite having four more wins than Kentucky, NC State comes into the game as a 2.5-point underdog to the SEC foe.
“I kind of feel like we have been disrespected a lot all year that way,” Doeren said. “…It just adds to the chip we carry here.”
I fully expect NC State to come out and win this game. The tight run defense for the Wolfpack, and the ground game with junior Ricky Person Jr. and sophomore Zonovan Knight to go along with Hockman making smart decisions with the football will be too much for the Wildcats to handle.
Prediction: NC State 27 Kentucky 17
The TaxSlayer Gator Bowl is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 2 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. The game will kick off at noon and be broadcast on ESPN.
