Flashback to a time when Jameis Winston was leading the Florida State Seminoles and “The Hunger Games” was the top-grossing movie in the box office. Flashback to November of 2014. This was the last time Boston College won an ACC game.
Since then, Donald Trump has become a presidential candidate, Winston became the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and college football adopted and executed two playoffs.
The Eagles had a 12-game losing streak in the ACC before NC State let them off the hook. With its 21-14 win over NC State on Saturday, both teams pulled to 4-4 on the season.
After a terrible weekend in Raleigh, here’s what we learned.
1. The Wolfpack is probably not bowling in 2016
Let’s face it, the Wolfpack has home games against Florida State and Miami (FL) plus road games at Syracuse and North Carolina, and it is very hard to imagine a scenario where the Wolfpack pulls two wins out of the hat.
The good game against Clemson is a distant memory, replaced by a nightmare in which the Wolfpack lost to the worst team in the ACC. Boston College beat UMass, Wagner and Buffalo this season, a schedule that makes NC State’s recent nonconference schedules look like the SEC West. Unless something drastically changes in the final four games, NC State won’t even be worthy of the Quick Lane Bowl in scenic Detroit.
2. The Wolfpack offense is anemic
NC State has failed to top-20 points in three straight games and now has the 79th ranked offense in the nation, averaging just 26.8 points per game. The Pack is inexplicably 99th in rushing yards per game this season, despite having senior running back Matt Dayes and junior tight end Jaylen Samuels. The blame for this loss falls on the Wolfpack offense, who failed to take advantage of a favorable matchup at home.
3. The Wolfpack defense is good, and it’s a shame
The Wolfpack defense has been terrific this season, and it won’t get noticed because the offense has been so bad this season. The NC State defense had a terrific game against Clemson earlier in the season that was wasted in a loss. It again rose to the occasion to shut down Boston College, forcing two turnovers and giving the Pack a chance to win.
The Wolfpack is ranked 28th in total defense this season and has its most talented defensive line since Mario Williams and John McCargo roamed opponents’ backfields. Defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable should be applauded for turning the defense into a solid unit. Eli Drinkwitz and Dave Doeren should be held accountable for wasting it.
4. Penalties continue to haunt the Pack.
The Wolfpack had a costly illegal formation penalty in the fourth quarter that negated a touchdown, as freshman wide receiver Kelvin Harmon covered up junior tight end Cole Cook. The play was the second touchdown called back for illegal formation this year; the Pack also had one called back against Notre Dame. The play would’ve been a back-breaker for Boston College and put the Pack up 21-13 late. It’s hard to imagine that NC State doesn’t win in that scenario.
5. Florida State is on deck, and that’s not good for the Pack
The Seminoles looked dangerous at home against Clemson this weekend and overall have more talent than the struggling Wolfpack. The Pack has been able to strike fear in Florida State with its Carter-Finley night-game magic, but this tailspin seems more reminiscent of Doeren’s first year at NC State, where the Wolfpack lost eight consecutive games. The Wolfpack may be able to stay in the game due to some hocus pocus, but the outlook is not promising.
