With its four-game skid a thing of the past, the NC State football team prepares for a homecoming matchup with the No. 24 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Led by an outstanding performance by the defense Saturday, the Pack (5-4, 1-4 ACC) won its first ACC game since Nov. 24, 2012 against Boston College.
The defense had a great showing, giving up only 38 yards on the ground to the Orange and forcing three turnovers, highlighted by redshirt freshman defensive end Pharoah McKever’s 82-yard interception return for a touchdown.
With the victory at Syracuse, the Pack gains momentum heading into the first home game in almost a month and the 300th game played at Carter-Finley Stadium, as it takes on ACC rival Georgia Tech (7-2, 4-2 ACC).
“It was fun to get that win on the road,” NC State Head Coach Dave Doeren said at the Weekly ACC Coaches Press Conference. “It’s an ACC division win and hasn’t been something that has happened a lot in the program and something we want to build towards a championship as a program.”
The Pack seemed to find itself both offensively and defensively during the game Saturday. Redshirt junior quarterback Jacoby Brissett returned to form, completing 20-of-32 passes for 186 yards and a score. As a team, the Pack rushed for 121 yards on the ground and tallied up 307 total yards of offense on the day.
“We would love to score more points, but the offense scored when we needed,” Doeren said. “I’m proud of everybody. It was a team win, and we get to come home for homecoming against a great Georgia Tech team.”
The Yellow Jackets roll into Saturday’s showdown coming off two convincing wins over Pittsburgh and Virginia. Tech’s rushing attack averages 319.7 yards on the ground, good enough for fourth in the nation, and the 18th best scoring offense averages 36.9 points per game, so it’s a no-brainer the Pack defense will have a tall order to fill come game day.
“Georgia Tech on offense is explosive and very good,” Doeren said. “Our defense has a huge challenge this game, and our offense needs to step up and help us this week.”
The Yellow Jackets’ defense gives up an average of 374 yards per game and a turnover margin of +8. A weakness in the Tech defense lies in its secondary, where the group allows about 242.7 passing yards per game. Offensive coordinator Matt Canada and Brissett should be able to get the passing game going often and exploit those holes in the secondary. Also look for running backs Matt Dayes and Shadrach Thornton to return to go against a Georgia Tech defense allowing 170 yards on the ground.
“[The running backs] all want the ball more,” Doeren said. “They just want to win, and that’s the biggest part of it.”
After Saturday’s contest against the Yellow Jackets, the Pack plays its last home game the following weekend against Wake Forest, before heading to Chapel Hill for an in-state battle against the rival Tar Heels Nov. 29.
“There are three really important and meaningful games coming up,” Doeren said. “If we can just continue to get better each week, that’s the focus of what we need to do, and if we do that, I think we can win any game.”
