Sometimes, sports just stink. When you root for a team like NC State, rather than Alabama or Florida State, sports tend to stink more often. Saturday was a prime example of why teams play the game, as NC State entered as a three-score underdog and nearly left Clemson with a huge upset win. But the Wolfpack fell just short on the road and we are left to contemplate why things happen the way they do.
Either way, there are a ton of positives to take from the tight loss on Saturday.
1. The Wolfpack could’ve beaten the Tigers
Yes, this is a moral victory considering the Wolfpack probably should’ve won the game, but holy cow the Wolfpack could’ve beaten the No. 3 team in the nation on the road. Head coach Dave Doeren has come under a lot of fire over the last season, but Saturday was tangible proof that his squad is almost where they promised it would be. NC State was one field goal away from seriously shaking up the ACC Atlantic race and the College Football Playoff as a whole.
2. The kicking game… yeah
Sophomore kicker Kyle Bambard missed two field goals and had a third blocked, the worst and most important of which was the 33-yarder at the end of the game that would’ve won it for the team. With the way the team has looked this season, it’s likely that Bambard will be called upon again this season and one can only hope that this doesn’t kill future attempts because of confidence issues.
This game is not the end for Bambard. In 2012, Stanford freshman kicker Jordan Williamson missed three field goals in the Fiesta Bowl, costing his team the game against Oklahoma State. After that devastating game, he ended up becoming Stanford’s all-time leading scorer, and drilled four field goals against UCLA to help Stanford win the Pac-12 Conference title. The moral of the story: There’s always another day. There’s always another kick.
3. The referees struggled
I always hate to blame the referees for a game because, as we know, the Wolfpack could’ve won this game even without the referees having a bad game. This one was rough, though. The most important gaffe was a missed facemask call that would’ve given the Wolfpack first and goal. The resulting play led to a blocked field goal, changing the course of the game. Again, I don’t like to rag on the refs, but they definitely had a rough day on Saturday.
4. The NC State defense continues to play well
Although the offense has gotten most of the attention, the Wolfpack defense has silently propelled the team this season. The Wolfpack defense ranks 16th in the nation in yards per game. The Pack has only allowed opponents to convert 34 percent of third downs and is 17th in the nation with 18 sacks.
The defense played a huge part in the game last Saturday, with junior cornerback Mike Stevens intercepting a pass and returning it for a touchdown on the first play of the second half. The Wolfpack forced four turnovers against Clemson and sacked DeShaun Watson four times.
5. Louisville up next
The Wolfpack won’t have much time to feel bad for itself, as it travels to Louisville and the Cardinals high-powered offense next weekend. How the Pack responds after a tough loss last weekend will determine the course of this season, because the NC State has proven it has the talent to win in every game the rest of the season.
Junior cornerback Mike Stevens leaps into the endzone after 28 yards for an interception return for a touchdown. Stevens had four tackles on the day and the lone touchdown against No. 3 Clemson but fell 24-17 on Oct. 15, 2016 at Death Valley in Clemson, SC.
