For Wolfpack to play spoiler, it has to avoid lapses
N.C. State followed up what was its worst half of the season with maybe its best against Georgia Tech.
It added up to a two-point road loss to the Yellow Jackets this past Thursday, which knocked the Wolfpack (4-7) out of bowl contention heading into Saturday’s game with North Carolina (5-6).
N.C. State can spoil UNC’s postseason plans and extend its recent dominance (wins in nine of the past 12 meetings) in the rivalry. To do that, Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren knows that the team who finished the 28-26 loss to Georgia Tech needs to be there from the start.
“It’s about us putting together four quarters of football and finding a way within the good that we’ve done, like the second half last week, of being consistent throughout and executing,” Doeren said on Monday at his weekly press conference.
There was a similar script in the 34-20 home loss to Louisville on Nov. 16, except the first half was the “good” half for the Wolfpack and the second half was the disaster. N.C. State has lost five straight games since a 16-10 home win over Syracuse on Oct. 10 and is just 1-6 in ACC play.
NC State’s ‘horrible’ half against Georgia Tech
The problems against the Yellow Jackets started early. “Horrible” is the word Doeren used to describe the first half. Georgia Tech quarterback James Graham hit a deep shot for 54 yards to receiver Malachi Carter on the first play of the game.
The freshman had 43 total passing yards the week before in a 45-0 loss to Virginia Tech, 57 in a home loss to Pitt on Nov. 2. He had 120 passing yards, and three touchdowns, by the end of the first half and the Wolfpack trailed 21-3.
But N.C. State’s defense tightened up in the second half. Graham ran for 92 yards and a touchdown in the second half but that was Tech’s only score. He completed just one pass (for nine yards) in the second half.
The Wolfpack, meanwhile, responded with a long scoring drive (12 plays, 71 yards) to open the third quarter and forced a Graham fumble and turned that into a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
“We went in (to halftime) in a tough spot,” Doeren said. “To see the resolve of the guys and how they came back — and held them to seven points in the second half and offensively had a chance to win it — there’s a lot of positives in that.”
Tops on that list was the performance of freshman running back Bam Knight, who ran for 100 yards on 18 carries and had a touchdown. Freshman running back Jordan Houston was also impressive (89 yards on 16 carries).
Unlike lopsided losses to Boston College (45-24), Clemson (55-10) and Wake Forest (44-10), N.C. State didn’t give up on the run and it was able to climb all the way back in the game.
That will be a key against the Tar Heels, who have an explosive passing offense with freshman quarterback Sam Howell (2,946 yards, 32 touchdowns both ACC-bests). If Graham can slice up N.C. State’s paper-thin secondary, it stands to reason Howell could have a big debut in the rivalry. N.C. State ranks No. 91 in the country in passing touchdowns allowed (21 in 11 games).
Can NC State beat UNC on with ground game?
UNC’s run defense has been vulnerable in spots this season. Virginia Tech and Wake Forest each broke the 200-yard mark, while Appalachian State and Pitt each ran for three touchdowns. UNC went 0-4 in those games.
Doeren has won four of his past five games against UNC mostly because of success in the ground game. The Wolfpack has averaged 290.6 rushing yards and 3.4 rushing TDs per game against UNC since 2014.
With injuries at receiver and inconsistencies at quarterback, N.C. State’s passing game has sputtered. Redshirt freshman Devin Leary was more effective against Georgia Tech (19 of 31, 227 yards, 1 TD) because he didn’t have to drop back and throw on every down.
“Our offense is not built to throw 60 times a game,” Doeren said. “That’s not what we recruited all of these guys for. We want our run game to set up our pass game.”
UNC at NC State
When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh
Watch: ACC Network
Listen: WRAL-101.5, WTKK-106.1
This story was originally published November 25, 2019 at 5:12 PM with the headline "For Wolfpack to play spoiler, it has to avoid lapses."
