Coming off a season opening win against James Madison, 24-13, the Wolfpack is looking to improve on its record when the Georgia State Panthers visit Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday. Georgia State has also begun its season with a 1-0 start after they defeated Kennesaw State, 24-20.
Quarterback vs. Defensive Backs
Georgia State’s junior quarterback Dan Ellington finished his 2017 season with 27 touchdowns and 3,211 passing yards. Ellington continued his success against Kennesaw State when he had a completion percentage of 71.4 and three touchdowns. He is not one to be taken lightly, as he proved he works well under pressure last week when he led the Panthers to victory with only 41 seconds left in the game.
Graduate linebacker Germaine Pratt has made many appearances for NC State in his career and led the team in tackles last weekend. He posts the biggest threat to the Panthers’ offense with his abilities in tackling and his takeaway ability after he scored a pair of touchdowns last season.
Redshirt junior safety Jarius Morehead also proved his abilities last year when he was the second leading tackler with 80 stops and a team high of 46 hits. The safety had 10 total tackles against JMU, the second highest on the team.
Redshirt freshman defensive end Ibrahim Kante is a new face on the field, but made a name for himself after his first appearance. Kante tallied two sacks, one that caused a fumble resulting in a Wolfpack possession.
Junior cornerback Nick McCloud had seven starts last season including the Hyundai Sun Bowl when Mike Stevens was injured. After a successful game against the Dukes, McCloud walked off the field with nine total tackles.
Wide Receivers vs. Defensive Backs
The Panthers’ should not be underrated with two strong options at wide receivers. The first, Penny Hart, was a two-time First Team All-Sun Belt Conference honoree and the leading receiver in his conference for two seasons. After 27 career games as a Panther, he ranks third in school history in career receptions, receiving yards and touchdown receptions. Hart will be a tough receiver to chase down for the Wolfpack.
Christian Owens is the next threat to NC State’s defense as he’s coming off the previous game with 70 receiving yards and six receptions. Owens is a new name to the Panther’s roster this year after sitting out all last season as a transfer from South Carolina.
As for NC State, sophomore cornerback Chris Ingram and redshirt senior safety Dexter Wright will face up against these wide receivers. Although this is only Ingram’s second year with the Wolfpack, he made many appearances last year as a true freshman. Wright, on the other hand, has suffered many injuries in his years at NC State but has bounced back quickly each time. Both defensive backs had four tackles last weekend.
Running Backs vs. Linebackers
When it comes to Georgia State’s running backs, Wolfpack linebackers such as redshirt freshman Isaiah Moore and Pratt have much more experience in this field compared to Georgia State’s young running backs and take over the defensive drives quickly.
Moore had his first debut as part of the Wolfpack against JMU and did not disappoint the fans. Moore came out of the game with 10 total tackles with six of those being solo.
Georgia State running back Tra Barnett played as a true freshman in eight games last season but only saw most of his action in the final three matchups. Barnett has been stated as the backup running back for the past two years at Georgia State and has limited action in the backfield.
Tight Ends vs. Defensive Line
NC State’s defensive line was in question for this season after four defensive linemen were drafted this past year. Nevertheless, the new defensive starters have stepped up to take control against the opposing offense.
Roger Carter, the Panthers tight end, only played in six total games last season, but made an impressive impact within his playing time. Carter had 146 total receiving yards last year but only four yards this past weekend.
Redshirt junior defensive end James Smith-Williams has been a big defender on the line in previous seasons and has so far continued his success. This past weekend Williams had seven tackles before getting injured in the first half of the game. Williams was later seen on the sideline during the second half looking ready to play. Fans are hoping for a full recovery by this weekend.
The same thoughts go to senior Eurndraus Bryant. After being injured on a turnover play in the first half, Bryant was carted off the field when his neck began to lock up. Bryant’s recovery would have a huge impact on the defensive game as a whole for NC State.
The Wolfpack will go up against Georgia State this Saturday at 12:30 p.m. in Carter-Finley Stadium.
