The NC State football team is a little over halfway through its regular season, and it has been a rollercoaster ride thus far. The Wolfpack has a record of 4-3 (1-2 ACC), though it has looked better throughout the season than its record indicates.
With the only game in which they were truly outplayed being last week’s blow-out loss against Louisville, this team could just as easily have a 6-1 overall record and be sitting in the top 25. However, poor decision-making, lack of execution and poor special teams play has the Pack looking at yet another mediocre season.
The Wolfpack’s first loss came at the hands of its in-state rival, East Carolina. This game is a prime example of little miscues leading to big losses — something that has been the theme of this season for NC State. Two missed field goals, an ill-advised fake field goal attempt and a poorly timed two-point conversion attempt that failed highlighted the errors that caused the Pack to drop a game early in the season that was very much winnable.
As the season picked up, it seemed as if the ECU loss, as well as the poor decision-making and silly errors, were a thing of the past for this NC State team. The Wolfpack won three straight contests, one of which was in a hurricane against Notre Dame. Then just two weeks ago, the Pack took on the No. 3 Clemson Tigers in Death Valley. Clemson was favored by nearly 20 points, but the Wolfpack almost pulled off one of the biggest upsets in program history. NC State missed the potential game-winning field goal and lost in overtime. In this game, the Wolfpack attempted four fields and made just one. Additionally, it committed 13 penalties. NC State pretty much handed its opponent the game on two out of its three losses on the season.
The Wolfpack now looks to finish strong with five games remaining on the schedule, two being against top-25 opponents. Three of these five games will be played at home, as the Pack takes on Boston College, Florida State and Miami in Carter-Finley Stadium. The two road contests left are Syracuse and UNC-Chapel Hill.
If NC State can forget about the heartbreaking loss to Clemson and the disaster that took place at Louisville, it can still salvage its season. Wins against Boston College and Syracuse should be near certainties for this team, and with Miami’s recent struggles, the Wolfpack can make a push for seven total wins. The doubt comes in when looking at the games against No. 12 Florida State and No. 21 North Carolina, as head coach Dave Doeren is 0-8 against top-25 teams with NC State.
There is no doubt that the Wolfpack has enough talent to potentially win all five of its remaining games. The team went into the Louisville game boasting the 19th best defense in terms of points allowed in the country, and the secondary’s vastly improved play added another dimension to go along with an already elite defensive line. Junior defensive end Bradley Chubb’s six total sacks puts him just outside the top 20 nationally. On the offensive side, key playmakers have received national recognition, as senior running back Matt Dayes and junior tight end Jaylen Samuels both made ESPN’s midseason All-ACC team.
However, winning all five of its remaining games is hard to imagine for even the most optimistic Wolfpack fan. The team’s inconsistency and history of not being able to seal the deal when it matters most leave many to speculate how this season will end for NC State. With that being said, the Pack should win at least three more games, clinching bowl eligibility and finishing with a 7-5 record in the regular season. Given the strength of the Pack’s schedule, reaching a bowl game certainly would be an accomplishment. It is simply unfortunate to realize how close this was to being NC State’s breakout season, only to have it probably end in yet another average season.
