Despite Losing to Clemson, NC State Can Make History if they Refocus

NC State suffered a brutal loss this past Saturday to Clemson 41-7, and it left a bitter taste in the mouth of Wolfpack fans.

It’s Tuesday now. Hock that loogie, and spit it out. There is a lot of football left to play in 2018, and a lot of history to be made.

NC State still has the chance to finish with the most wins in a single season in school history. Philip Rivers led the Wolfpack to an 11-win season back in 2002, setting a new school record for wins in a single season (previous record was 9). While ESPN’s FPI projections gives NC State a 49% chance to beat Syracuse on the road this weekend, the S&P gives a 53% chance of a Wolfpack victory. In fact, even with the loss to Clemson, the S&P projections point toward NC State winning the rest of their regular season games, finishing with 11 wins (FPI projects a win in every game except Syracuse, which is practically a tossup.) If the Wolfpack is able to refocus and run the table, they will win the most regular season games in school history, and have the opportunity in a bowl game to win a 12th game, which would set a new record. For perspective, only 11 NC State teams have ever won 9 games (last year being one of them). Only one team has won more than 9, and that was the Rivers led team in 2002 that beat Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl to close things out. Only two coaches in school history have led their teams to back-to-back 9-win seasons: Dick Sheridan and Lou Holtz.

The Wolfpack has a chance to finish in the Top-25 for the second consecutive season. The Wolfpack spent 10 weeks in the Top-25 in 2017, and finished ranked 23rd in both the AP and the Coaches Poll. Currently, they are ranked 22nd in both polls, and have been in the Top-25 for the past 4 weeks. If NC State takes care of business, they will finish in the Top-25 for the 2nd consecutive season. The last time that happened was 1991-92…26 years ago!

If NC State can find a way to go 5-0 the rest of the way in conference play, they will finish with 7 ACC wins, which would be the most in school history. Only six Wolfpack teams have won 6 ACC games, with last years team being one of them.

This past weekend was disappointing. NC State fans desperately want to get over the hump, and surpass Clemson, because they are the juggernaut between them and an ACC Championship, which the Wolfpack hasn’t won since 1979. Even if NC State would have beaten the Tigers on Saturday, they wouldn’t have been the better team. Dabo Swinney has built a program…a dynasty down in Tiger Town, and he has done that through consistency. Clemson finishes every year in the Top-25, and every year they reel in a Top-25 recruiting class.

Last year NC State finished in the Top-25 for the first time since 2010, and brought in a Top-25 recruiting class for the first time since 2008. One year is good…two years in a row is the beginning marks of consistency. The Wolfpack’s 2019 recruiting class currently ranks 20th according to Rivals. NC State hasn’t had back-to-back Top-25 recruiting classes…ever.

If NC State wants to get anywhere near Clemson’s level, they need to consistently finish in the Top-25, and consistently pull in Top-25 recruiting classes. There is a lot of work to be done in 2018, but the opportunity is on the table.