For every moment N.C . State appeared dead in the ACC’s murky waters, there was always an answer.
After Cincinnati and Georgia Tech obliterated the Pack on national and regional television, respectively, State needed to go 5-2 in order to qualify for the postseason.
After being manhandled by Florida State in Tallahassee, State had to re-focus for an emotional home rivalry game in which it was the underdog.
After choking away what was a must-win game versus hapless Boston College, State had to beat a top-10 team with one of the nation’s most dangerous offenses coming to Raleigh.
After lowly Maryland, a team that left the Pack heartbroken in College Park one year ago, raced out to a stunning 41-14 lead, State had 25 minutes to rewrite the program’s record books or face a bitter offseason.
And after all of that, inexplicably, the Pack has found a path to December football.
Where NCSU’s bowl destination ends up is almost irrelevant at this juncture, although a trip to Charlotte for the Belk Bowl is an intriguing chance to play just the second North Carolina-based bowl game in program history. State’s destination almost entirely depends on whether West Virginia wins the Big East this weekend – if they do, you can go ahead and reserve your tickets a day early before anything is announced. Because bowl officials do not want a rematch of last year’s Champs Sports Bowl, a Mountaineer loss most likely means the Pack is bound for the Music City to face Mississippi State. Often a political maze, the bowl picture boils down to revenue and fan interest.
However, no matter the game, the real reward is a monumental chance to springboard into a more consistent level of success for the program.
Why should anyone care about just another game? Because while State has not authored a 2011 masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, no other program from North Carolina has as much promise. UNC is looking for a coach and awaiting penalties for rules violations, Wake’s ceiling will almost always be permanently stuck at seven or eight wins, and both Duke and ECU are stagnant programs.
At least for the foreseeable future, the state is State’s to lose.
An eighth win during a season that could have easily been spoiled by injuries would mean the doors to recruiting are as open as they will ever get. This was the barometer year to determine where Tom O’Brien’s program was headed, and the team fought through injuries and a lack of depth to save the reading on that barometer. O’Brien’s job is no longer in peril, and his postseason track record plays even further into his favor. In nine bowl games as a head coach, he is 7-2.
Exactly one month ago, there weren’t too many people outside of the Wolfpack locker room who believed the conversation would come to this. Very few believed State would be talking about an 8-5 season or even how 14 of this year’s 22 starters are set to return for next season, including the entire defensive backfield.
It didn’t look pretty, but the Cardiac Pack didn’t let football season walk away like it should have.
