NC State football lost 27-23 to Wake Forest in Carter-Finley Stadium Thursday night. The Wolfpack (6-3, 3-3 ACC) had its Senior Night and Military Appreciation Night spoiled by the Demon Deacons (5-5, 2-4 ACC) in a primetime upset. Let’s take a look at NC State’s performance:

Quarterback – B

Graduate Ryan Finley threw for 374 yards on 52 attempts, along with a touchdown and an interception to close the game. Numerous drops hurt Finley’s stats, but he did a solid job adjusting to the pressure Wake Forest applied and putting the ball in the right place for his receivers.

Running Backs – F

NC State’s rushing combo of senior Reggie Gallaspy Jr. and freshman Ricky Person Jr. disappointed, rushing for 36 and 13 yards, respectively. As a team the Wolfpack averaged a dismal 1.7 yards per carry, which handicapped the offense.

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends – C

Drops overshadowed an otherwise fine performance from NC State’s receiving corps. Junior Kelvin Harmon set a new career high in receptions with 15 for 134 yards. Fellow junior Jakobi Meyers caught 10 passes for 117 yards.

Redshirt sophomores Cary Angeline and C.J. Riley had costly drops. Angeline, NC State’s pass-catching tight end, couldn’t corral an easy touchdown, forcing the Wolfpack to settle for a field goal. Riley was targeted late on fourth down but couldn’t complete the catch. Wake Forest took over on downs and went on to score a touchdown. Those are catches NC State has to make on a consistent basis to enter the upper echelon of the FBS.

Offensive Line – F

Though the offensive line only allowed one sack, the Demon Deacons had a field day in NC State’s backfield with 11 tackles for loss. After showing out against a talented Florida State defensive line, this unit was bullied by Wake Forest. A large part of the blame for NC State’s lack of a running game lies at the feet of the men in the trenches. NC State’s offensive line allowed way too much penetration into the backfield, leading to Person and Gallaspy being hit in the backfield often.

Defensive Line – B

The defensive line played well, combining to produce two sacks and 23 tackles. Redshirt juniors Larrell Murchison and James Smith-Williams led the way for the line, consistently getting into the backfield and collectively recording 2.5 tackles for loss.

Linebackers – B

Graduate Germaine Pratt and redshirt freshman Isaiah Moore had solid games, especially in run support. Pratt was second on the team with 12 tackles including one for loss, and Moore added another six tackles along with two sacks. 

Secondary – D

Junior safety Jarius Morehead was the bright spot of the secondary, leading the team with 14 tackles. NC State’s last line of defense held strong for a half, playing a large role in holding Wake Forest to only three points in the opening 30 minutes.

In the second half, however, the secondary regressed, allowing 264 yards passing and three touchdowns. Freshman De’Von Graves saw his first meaningful snaps at cornerback Thursday, and Pack fans should keep an eye out for the former consensus four-star recruit.

Special Teams – A

Senior punter A.J. Cole III pinned the Demon Deacons inside their 20-yard line every time he punted, averaging 40 yards a pop. Freshman kicker Chris Dunn went a perfect 3 for 3 on field goals with a long of 29 yards. Senior kicker Kyle Bambard averaged 53 yards per kickoff and registered a touchback.

Coaching – D

Offensive coordinator Eliah Drinkwitz has struggled to get the offense going early all year and now it’s costing the Pack games. NC State began its first possession at the 50-yard line and ended up punting. Its next drive started in the red zone and the Wolfpack settled for a field goal after gaining a net of 0 yards. That’s three points out of a potential 14.

After watching Finley and future first-round draft pick Harmon connect in the endzone reliably for the past few games, it’s puzzling that Harmon got 0 targets in the red zone against the Demon Deacons. It’s unacceptable that this high-powered offense scored less against Wake Forest than Rice. Anytime the defense holds a team under 30 points, the Pack should walk away with a victory. When that doesn’t happen, fans rightfully look to the coaches on the offensive side.