Redshirt sophomore quarterback Ryan Finley hands the ball off to senior running back Matt Dayes. The Wolfpack suffered a heartbreaking 24-17 overtime defeat at Death Valley in Clemson, SC on Saturday. " />
Nick Faulkner
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Ryan Finley hands the ball off to senior running back Matt Dayes. The Wolfpack suffered a heartbreaking 24-17 overtime defeat at Death Valley in Clemson, SC on Saturday.
The NC State football team looks to bounce back from last week’s heartbreaking loss against Clemson as it takes on another top-10 opponent on the road in No. 7 Louisville.
The Wolfpack (4-2, 1-1 ACC) came close to passing its biggest test of the season last week, as it came a field goal shy of one of the biggest wins in program history. However, it doesn’t get much easier for the Pack moving forward. NC State now faces arguably one of the best offenses in the country, led by current Heisman Trophy frontrunner in quarterback Lamar Jackson. How quickly the Wolfpack is able to bounce back will go a long way in determining the outcome of this game and the rest of the season.
“Our players are excited about the opportunity, and as much as it hurts not to get what you want out of a game, we can’t dwell on that,” head coach Dave Doeren told NC State Athletics in a press conference on Monday. “Our identity is moving forward, and we’re not going to focus on what we don’t have.”
Although the Cardinals are a 20-point favorite, this game may turn out to be closer than many think. Louisville is coming off of a tough win against Duke, a game in which the Cardinals showed some vulnerability. Duke slowed Louisville’s high-powered offense down by running the ball, keeping the chains moving and working the clock. NC State has all the intangibles to pull off something similar, as senior running back Matt Dayes has quietly become one of the best rushers in the ACC, averaging over 100 rushing yards per game.
Aside from NC State’s running game, another aspect of their game that has stood out is their defense. The defensive line has been as lethal as many expected it to be, as the Wolfpack is ranked 17th nationally in sacks per game. One surprise however, is the recent play of the secondary. The unit was able to stop a handful of big plays against Clemson, and forced quarterback Deshaun Watson into throwing his first ever collegiate pick-six. In total, the defense forced four turnovers and had a goal-line stand against a typically stellar Tiger offense. Whether the team can continue to get pressure on the quarterback and force turnovers will be a huge factor moving forward.
“Defensively, we can’t lick our wounds,” Doeren said after last week’s loss. “We’ve got to get back to it.”
Containing the Cardinals offense is no simple task, as the team leads the nation in total offense with 627.5 yards per game. In order to slow the Cards, the Wolfpack defense will have to play balanced. Jackson has accounted for 15 of Louisville’s passing touchdowns and 15 on the ground, showing tremendous versatility. The Cards also have two stud receivers in James Quick and Jamari Staples, who are both averaging over 17 yards per catch.
“They’re playing so good on offense,” Doeren said. “The quarterback, Lamar Jackson, is playing at a tremendous level. People are there with two or three guys on him at times, and he’s getting out of it. It’s like Michael Vick.”
There is no doubt Louisville’s offense is elite, but if their offensive line does not play up to par and allows Jackson to be pressured too often, the Wolfpack has the ability to make them pay.
“He’s definitely putting up some good numbers,” junior defensive end Bradley Chubb said. “Everybody is talking about him, that’s all you hear about.”
Another major factor in this Saturday’s match-up will be the amount of penalties that NC State commits. Against Clemson, the Pack was flagged 13 times for a total of 120 yards. Doeren believes his team needs to work on their focus in effort to avoid costly penalties.
“I don’t think it’s anything that Clemson did,” Doeren said. “They move around up front, we knew that. They did that on film before we played them. Louisville did the same thing at Clemson, it’s hard there.”
The Cardinals have the advantage at multiple positions on the field, and will have home field advantage on their side. However, if they provide the same lackluster effort they did versus Duke, NC State can take advantage.
Although, with wounds from the loss at Clemson still very fresh, it is hard to see the Wolfpack bouncing back this soon against another stellar opponent. The chances of an upset are slim, but the Wolfpack has all the tools to make this game competitive.
A version of this article appeared in print on Oct. 20, 2016 on page 12 with the headline: Wolfpack looks to play giant killer