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NC State Football

This Saturday is the 3rd Ranked Matchup Between NC State & UNC

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4 years ago

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NC State jumped back into the national rankings this week after improving to 4-1 after beating Duke 31-20 last weekend, landing at #23 in the AP Poll.

The Wolfpack will head to Chapel Hill to face the #14 Tar Heels on Saturday, marking only the 3rd time in the storied history of the rivalry when both teams were ranked. That’s pretty phenomenal, considering the series dates back to 1894.

UNC has been victorious in the first two ranked rivalry bouts.

In 1993, #18 UNC defeated #19 NC State 35-14, and in 1979, the #19 Tar Heels defeated #15 Wolfpack 35-21.

Both of these games were in Raleigh.

In 1979, UNC got out to a 28-7 lead, but Quarterback Scott Smith rallied the Pack back before a record breaking crowd in Carter-Finley Stadium. NC State scored 14 unanswered points, and were driving down the field to tie the game up, when Lawrence Taylor swatted the ball out of Smith’s hands, and the ruling on field was a fumble. The crowd was in an uproar, believing it to be a forward pass, but there was no instant replay back then to overturn it. The Tar Heels would then turn the turnover into 7 more points, putting the game away.

In 1993, Mack Brown picked up his first win over the Wolfpack, after losing his first 2 as head coach at UNC. This was the first year of the Mike O’Cain era, with legendary Dick Sheridan stepping down prior to the season due to health reasons. The game wasn’t close, with UNC taking care of business 35-14, but the game will always be remembered for the brawl that ensued before halftime, and even spilled over after the game ended. Ricky Bell pushed Tar Heel Quarterback Jason Stanicek on a scramble to the sidelines over his own bench. The result was a brawl that included swinging helmets. The most memorable moment of the game came after time expired, when UNC Assistant Coach Donnie Thompson tackled Wolfpack assistant Ted Cain.

Here’s to the third time being the charm for the Wolfpack, with numbers beside both of their names.

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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

Congrats to NC State Football’s Spring Graduates!

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2 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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3 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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NC State Football

Akron Safety Kerry Martin Jr. will Take an Official Visit at NC State Next Week

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4 days ago

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May 2, 2024

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Akron Safety Kerry Martin Jr. (6’1″/195) confirmed with me that he will be taking an Official Visit to NC State next week beginning on May 7th.

After receiving an offer from NC State yesterday, it didn’t take him long to set up the visit.

Martin Jr. is familiar with NC State, because he was recruited by Wolfpack Defensive Coordinator Tony Gibson before he left West Virginia to come to Raleigh. Even though he never coached him, a relationship was established.

Martin Jr.’s connections to NC State are deeper than that. Former NC State Cornerback Derrek Pitts, who is currently a member of the Tampa Bay Bucs, is his cousin.

This past year, Martin Jr. recorded 45 tackles, 2 interceptions and 6 pass breakups for Akron, starting in 9 of the 11 games he played in. His PFF Grade was 68.9.

In 2022, he had 53 tackles, 1 interception and 1 pass breakup, starting in 9 of the 11 games he played in. Martin Jr.’s PFF Grade was 60.9.

In 2019, as a Freshman for West Virginia, Martin Jr. earned PFF Freshman All-American honors, recording a grade of 70.6, with 50 tackles and 3 pass breakups.

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NC State Football

NC State Sits in the Top-20 in 247’s Post-Spring 2024 Preseason Poll

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4 days ago

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May 1, 2024

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247’s Brad Crawford released his Post-Spring 2024 Preseason College Football Top-25 recently, and NC State moved up 1 spot to #20.

ACC Teams in the Top-25

11. FSU

14. Miami

16. Clemson

20. NC State

24. Virginia Tech

25. Louisville

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