The big one has arrived.
On Saturday, the NC State football team (4-0) takes on No. 1 Florida State (4-0) in Raleigh, and if the Pack wishes to prove it’s a different team from last season, this is the time to do it.
So far, State’s non-conference schedule has allowed the team to gel together, but it has not provided an elite test of the team’s resolve, despite its two comebacks against Georgia Southern and Old Dominion respectively.
This weekend’s ACC opener will certainly provide that elite test—possibly the most elite test the Pack will face this season—as the Pack is 27.5-point underdogs at home. But with nothing to lose and much to gain, could NC State topple the defending national champions?
In order to make the impossible happen, the Wolfpack needs to take care of the ball, plain and simple. You take care of the ball, you keep your defense off the field and you keep scoring points as a result.
This means redshirt junior quarterback Jacoby Brissett must hit his receivers early in the game. State has had a habit of starting slowly, even against lesser competition, but that won’t slide on Saturday. Short, high-percentage throws will keep the Seminoles on their heels and the State offense moving forward.
In Brissett’s favor, he hasn’t thrown an interception in his last 108 attempts. Keeping that streak alive remains a primary goal for the Pack to have any chance at an upset.
State’s running backs, sophomore Matt Dayes and junior Shadrach Thornton, need to display the same tenacity, agility and confidence against FSU as they have in their first four games. The run game this season has been nothing short of explosive, averaging 248 yards on the ground with 12 touchdowns to boot. And if the duo finds success, State’s passing game will open up.
The Pack ranks first in the ACC in total offense, racking up 502 yards per game, which is almost 100 yards more than last season. It’s worth mentioning the quality of opposition hasn’t been of the highest, but Brissett’s efficiency and the offense’s balanced approach are both undeniably excellent.
Thornton and Dayes’ versatile ground game, combined with Brissett finding his playmaking wide receivers such as freshman Bo Hines and sophomore Bra’Lon Cherry, should see the Wolfpack’s attack score points.
The Florida State defense hasn’t looked like the dominant force from a year ago, allowing 161 and 101 rushing yards to Oklahoma State and Clemson, respectively. The Seminole aerial defense also showed signs of weakness, allowing 306 passing yards and a number of big plays to Clemson in Saturday’s narrow 23-17 overtime victory.
But truth be told, it’s not the State offense that has the most questions to answer. That’s reserved for a defense that underperformed against Georgia Southern and Old Dominion, struggling with slow starts in both games.
State cannot afford a slow start against 2013 Heisman Trophy-winner Jameis Winston. Despite the sophomore’s off-the-field antics, he remains one of the best quarterbacks in the country, be it on the ground or with his arm.
The Pack’s front seven must keep him in check, and tackling, a big weakness so far, has to be at its best.
Against Old Dominion, the Pack missed tackles left and right. If there are missed tackles on Saturday, then it’ll be less of a game and more of a clinic for Winston and co.
The Seminoles ran for 13 yards against Clemson, but it’s safe to say it won’t be that bad on Saturday with Winston, who FSU relies on offensively, back on the field. If he makes bad throws and turns the ball over, it’ll be a long night for him and the ‘Noles watching the game from the sidelines.
Fortunately for the Wolfpack, this isn’t the same Florida State team that ran the table and routed State 49-17 in Tallahassee last year. Jameis Winston hasn’t looked the part of a Heisman Trophy-winner, and the defense has looked mediocre and sluggish at times.
Moreover, the Seminoles have the pressure on their shoulders. The last time FSU came to Carter-Finley was in 2012, when the Mike Glennon-led Wolfpack defeated then-No. 3 FSU 17-16.
Home-field advantage, Winston’s behavioral issues and a hungry, new-look team all give the Wolfpack a chance to get its first win against a No. 1 team in school history and pull off one the biggest upsets of this college football season.
This isn’t the same Wolfpack team that ran out onto the field four weeks ago and gave a sub-par performance against Georgia Southern. This team is better. This team is ready. This team can beat Florida State.
