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Previewing NC State’s Opponent: UNC

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5 months ago

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#22 NC State is looking to win their third straight game against their rival UNC tonight. Last week, there was a number beside UNC’s name, and not NC State’s. A loss to Clemson knocked UNC out of the Top-25, and a win over Virginia Tech propelled the Wolfpack into the Top-25.

At one point this season, this North Carolina team was 6-0, and the #10 team in all of college football, but after losing 3 out of their last 4 ACC games, the Tar Heels have watched a lot of dreams dwindle away.

Despite where UNC finds themselves with one game remaining in the regular season, they are not to be taken lightly. The Tar Heel Offense is one of the best in the land, ranking 3rd nationally in Total Offense, averaging an insane 514.8 yards per game. Their potent offense is balanced, ranking 8th in Passing Yards Per Game (311.6) and 13th in Rushing Yards Per Game (203.2). UNC ranks 12th in Scoring Offense, putting an average of 38.1 Points Per Game.

Sophomore Running Back Omarion Hampton was the leading rusher in the nation until last night (Missouri’s Cody Schrader and Texas Tech’s Tahj Brooks both played last night, and passed him), and likely could be again after tonight’s game. He currently is tied for 3rd nationally in rushing yards, with 1,414. His 15 rushing touchdowns currently rank 5th nationally.

Redshirt Sophomore Quarterback Drake Maye’s 3,354 passing yards is tops in the ACC by a mile, and rank 8th nationally. His 22 touchdowns rank 2nd in the ACC behind Georgia Tech’s Haynes King, and his Passing Efficiency Rating of 151.8 rank 3rd in the conference behind Louisville’s Jack Plummer and FSU’s Jordan Travis.

Maye’s receiving targets are numerous, but at the top of the list is Junior Tez Walker, who has 670 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns in only 7 games played. After Walker, UNC has 3 other receivers with over 400 receiving yards. For perspective, after Kevin Concepcion (636 receiving yards), NC State doesn’t have another receiver with over 200 receiving yards. Junior J.J. Jones has 596 receiving yards, Junior Tight End Bryson Nesbit has 537 (with 5 touchdowns), and former NC State commit Junior Nate McCollum has 428.

How does one beat a team that boasts an offense like that?

Well, it’s quite possible when UNC ranks 90th nationally in Total Defense (396.5 yards per game), 64th in Scoring Defense (26 points per game), 89th in Run Defense (162.5 yards per game) and 81st in Passing Yards Allowed (234 yards per game). I’ll give credit to one aspect of the Tar Heel Defense…they are tied for 10th nationally with NC State in turnovers created (21).

Point being, UNC might be seemingly guaranteed to be productive offensively, but so is the other teams offense.

What was UNC’s weakness in their three losses? Was it stopping Omarion Hampton? No, he averaged 147.6 yards rushing per game in the Tar Heels 3 losses.

Was it turning the ball over? Not really. UNC lost the turnover margin in only 1 of their 3 losses. They rank 7th nationally in turnover margin.

Ironically, it was the golden boy, Drake Maye, who has struggled in UNC’s losses. Maye’s two lowest passing efficiency rating performances in 2023 have been against Clemson and Virginia (His performance in the loss against Georgia Tech was the 2nd highest of the season.).

For context, guess which defense held Maye to his lowest passing efficiency performance last season? The answer is NC State, who held him to a putrid rating of 101.8, which is the 2nd lowest of his career (96.8 against Clemson last week is the lowest).

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Matthew is Publisher and Co-Owner of Pack Insider. He is also the Lead Pastor of The Point Church in Cary, NC.

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NC State Football

Colorado DT Transfer Chazz Wallace is Taking an Official Visit to NC State Tomorrow

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4 hours ago

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May 6, 2024

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NC State has offered Colorado Defensive Tackle Transfer Chazz Wallace (6’2″/295), and he confirmed with me that he will be taking an Official Visit to Raleigh tomorrow.

Wallace played in 10 games for Coach Prime this past season, starting in 4. He finished with 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks. His PFF Grade was 56.4.

Prior to Colorado, Wallace spent his first three years at Old Dominion.

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NC State Football

NC State Offers FCS DT Brandon Lane

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13 hours ago

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May 6, 2024

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NC State offered Stephen F. Austin (FCS) Transfer Defensive Tackle Brandon Lane (6’3″/300) yesterday.

Lane started in 6 of the 11 games he played in for Stephen F. Austin this past season. He finished the year with 44 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. His PFF Grade was 74.6, which ranked 4th on the Lumberjacks Defense. His 79.9 Run Defense Grade ranked 3rd on the team. In 2022, Lane played 7 games as a reserve for Stephen F. Austin, recording 11 tackles 2.5 tackles for loss and 1 sack.

Lane spent his first two collegiate seasons at South Dakota State (2000-21). In 2000, he played in 1 game. In 2021, he played in 3 games as a reserve for the Jackrabbits. The 2000 season was the Covid Year, and the 2021 season was his redshirt year. As a result, Lane still has two years of eligibility remaining.

Around a week-and-a-half ago, Lane committed to Michigan St., but then he decommitted from the Spartans on May 2nd.

I don’t think Michigan St. is necessarily off the table, and he has visited Washington and West Virginia.

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NC State Football

Congrats to NC State Football’s Spring Graduates!

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3 days ago

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May 3, 2024

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Congratulations to the 7 NC State Football Players that just graduated this Spring.

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2024 Football Spring Graduates

Linebacker Devon Betty (1 year of eligibility)

Defensive End Davin Vann (1 year of eligibility)

Cornerback Aydan White (1 year of eligibility)

Offensive Guard Anthony Carter Jr. (2 years of eligibility)

Offensive Lineman Matt McCabe (2 years of eligibility)

Offensive Tackle Patrick Matan (2 years of eligibility)

Offensive Lineman Brendan Lawson (no longer on the roster)

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NC State Football

Proposed Bill in the NC House Would Require NC State & UNC To Play One Another, as well as ECU, UNCC and App St.

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4 days ago

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May 3, 2024

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A bill has been proposed by members of the North Carolina House of Representatives that would force NC State and UNC to play one another, as well as East Carolina, UNC Charlotte and Appalachian State.

According to House Bill 965, which you can read here in full, NC State and UNC would be required to play one another annually in Football, Men’s Basketball and Women’s Basketball. The Wolfpack and the Tar Heels would also be forced to play a game annually in all three sports against either ECU, UNC-Charlotte or App St. Every six years, NC State and UNC would be required to have played a home and away game against each of the three school in all three sports.

Here’s the exact wording from the proposed bill:

Competition Required. – A high-enrollment institution shall do all of the following in each eligible sport: (1) Every academic year, play at least one home or one away game against (i) another high-enrollment institution and (ii) an eligible constituent institution that is not a high-enrollment institution. (2) Every six academic years, play at least one home and one away game against each eligible constituent institution that is not a high-enrollment institution. A high-enrollment institution shall alternate home and away games that are scheduled against the same eligible constituent institution that is not a high-enrollment institution.

For glossary of terms being referenced above:

For the purposes of this bill, “High-enrollment institutions” = NC State and UNC, while “Eligible constituent institutions” = East Carolina, UNC Charlotte and Appalachian State.

It’s worth noting that NC State already has games schedule against each of these teams home-and-away in Football between now and 2031.

2025 – East Carolina (H)

2025 – @ App St.

2026 – App St. (H)

2028 – @ East Carolina

2030 – Charlotte (H)

2031 – @ Charlotte

What are your thoughts?

For more details, check out this article at WRAL.

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