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This Miss State Game has Turned into a Must Win for NC State Football

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3 years ago

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Coming into the season, I immediately circled three games on State’s football schedule:

  • Clemson – A chance AT HOME to take down the school that has run ACC football for close to a decade.
  • UNC – If I need to explain why…get off our site
  • @Miss State – And here we go…

Beyond winning, let alone making it to the ACC Championship, this game against Miss State maybe one of the most important games in Doeren’s career. It has short-term and long-term influence on the program, regardless of MSU’s standing within the SEC.

This Miss State game has turned into a must win for State.

 

Sad History

Honestly? Would have thought we’d have played at least a couple dozen SEC road games in our history and split a good chunk of them. We overlap regionally, comparable to mid-size SEC schools, and it just seemed very plausible for a steady stream of matchups and wins.

I was wrong. And it’s not good.

1-14-1 in SEC road games?!?!? One freaking win ever?!?! As Rob mentions, we have beat SEC schools, just prior to them actually being SEC schools. But the fact remains, things historically aren’t on our side.

A win would allow us to get the preverbal “monkey off our back”, when it comes to the SEC.

 

Short-Term Momentum

Doeren has never had this much talent and experience on one team. When you look at the schedule again (and I know it’s only been one week and things will change, but just let me live out this dream scenario), it looks good for State to make some serious noise. Maybe Miami, Louisville, FSU and Clemson just aren’t what we thought heading into the year. The mix of home games and away games, work out real nice for the Pack.

Which is why this game is so important.

If the Wolfpack can go into a tough place like Starkville AT NIGHT and get a win, this gives them the momentum for that run to a Week 6 bye. Take care of business in this road game and them come back for three games at good ol’ Carter-Finley.

State would crack the top-25, while gaining a road SEC win for their resume come December. They would feel like they’re clicking on all cylinders.

The momentum gained could be a serious tipping point on what this team could accomplish this season.

 

Long-Term Success

There are going to be folks reading this article saying to themselves, “Why are we putting the SEC on such a pedestal?” Because they win, have the utmost respect and are the steadiest of conferences for producing the best teams in the country, Every. Damn. Year. If you want to be considered a contender, you have to be in the conversation with the SEC.

And that goes for long-term recruiting, as well. Which is point three of the importance of winning against Miss State.

If you are a stud recruit in the Southeast (or frankly anywhere…but…you know), you dream of big time football in night games like this. Right now, however, there is nothing that Doeren can tell these kids on why it’s better to be in Raleigh, than a backup in Athens, Baton Rouge or even damn Starkville.

A win means another feather in the cap of the recruiting circuit that says;

  • Win the state of North Carolina
  • Not only be bowl eligible, but be closer to New Year’s Day
  • We can hang with any conference in the country

I know Miss State ain’t the best in the conference. But I’d rather beat them then get blown out like a Miami or look like poop as Louisville did against Ole Miss. You build a program by the wins you gain. This would be a big one, regardless of where the Bulldogs end up in final standings.

If State shows up and wins, they gain eyes all across the Carolinas and one more notch in their experience belt.

Now I get that State can lose and that doesn’t affect us whatsoever for an ACC crown. I would also ABSOLUTELY trade a Miss State loss to go 11-1 in the regular season.

But for a fanbase that constantly wonders why we haven’t gotten over the hump…wonders if this team has the capabilities to be a contender…wonders if Doeren is even our guy.

Then this Miss State game has turned into a must win for NC State Football.

 

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Passionate State fan that just wants to win...something...like anything...

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travelwolf
travelwolf
2 years ago

Yeah, somebody’s been smoking that wolf-nip (as opposed to catnip). Stay low to the ground and crashing down won’t hurt as much!

0
Papajohn
Papajohn
2 years ago

Wow! Win one game against a dog and Wolfpack fever is nuts. Fun stuff! I salute the ‘must win’ mentality, but I really need to see at least one win over a good team before drinking the annual “this is the year” Kool-Aid. Right now we’re just ‘Carolina good‘, meaning, we look good on paper.

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Rev
Rev
2 years ago
Reply to  Papajohn

How true! We only have one win and starving NCSU fans are howling! However, we do need to beat Miss State. The ACC basically got embarrassed last week, and someone has to help the conference’s reputation, even if we can only beat one of lower echelon SEC teams.

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NC State Football

NC State Offers FCS DT Brandon Lane

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8 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.

Published

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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