NC State Football

The NC State Wolfpack have played over expectations through the first third of the college football season, winning all their games to this point.

Tom O'Brien's Wolfpack weren't expect to be a major threat this season, with most so called college football experts putting them down for only a handful of wins.

Many people around the Wolfpack program were expecting much more, and the Wolfpack football team have responded.

They were expected to rely largely on their passing game, and they mostly have but the running game has been better then expected with them averaging 140 yards a game.

The defense has been very good also, largely improved over last year's team with Nate Irving healthy again their leader is back.

He is the leader of the defense, and with him coming back in automatically made them better, but now that the secondary has gained experience from last year their game has also improved.

The defensive line, which was almost non-existent at times last year, has shown new life with Jeff Rieskamp, Michael Lemon, Natanu Mageo, Markus Kuhn, J.R. Sweezy, Brian Slay, and David Akinniyi all seeing significant time.

On offense, once again, Russell Wilson is having another amazing season at quarterback for the Wolfpack. he has thrown for 1,112 yards and 11 touchdowns while only throwing one interception.

Wilson has played probably the best he has ever played at NC State, and he played baseball most of the offseason.

Wilson's play has really elevated the Wolfpack offense into levels unseen since the days of Phillip Rivers.

The receiving corps for Tom O'Brien is the deepest in the ACC in my opinion, and for the season, nine different guys have caught at least two passes this season, and five different guys have caught touchdown passes.

The Wolfpack have positioned themselves well in the ACC winning their first conference game, and they are also the only team in the ACC to be unbeaten in their overall record.

Unfortunately, the ACC is down this year with Boston College, UNC, and GT already losing conference games and Virginia Tech and Clemson both losing pivotal non-conference games.

That sets the Wolfpack up for a run at the ACC title if they can continue to play at this high level they are now.

Heading down to Bobby Dodd Stadium for a matchup against defending ACC Champion Georgia Tech, the N.C. State Wolfpack came looking for their first 4-0 start since 2002.  Russell Wilson led the team to a 45-28 victory on a day when the Wolfpack would lead the entire game after the first score.

After N.C. State and Georgia Tech both fumbled early in the game, the score remained 0-0.  But with just under two minutes left in the first quarter, N.C. State blocked a punt by Georgia Tech deep in Yellow Jacket territory, recovering the ball in the end zone for a touchdown to put the Wolfpack on the board first, never to relinquish the lead. 

Once the Wolfpack were on the board, they continued to move the ball with ease, moving into field goal range on the next three possessions.  Although, they were able to get deep into Georgia Tech territory, N.C. State was only able to capitalize once, missing a pair of 31-yard field goals.

Georgia Tech was able to get on the board with 2:30 left in the first half with a 10-yard rushing touchdown by Orwin Smith, bringing the score back within reach to 10-7.  N.C. State answered quickly before the half, with a 69-yard drive, finishing with a 21-yard reception by Steven Howard from Wilson with 22 seconds remaining on the clock.

N.C. State’s defense was able to keep Joshua Nesbitt and the Yellow Jacket triple option offense’s production to a minimum, forcing two fumbles in the first half and blocking a punt.  Nesbitt finished the first half going 0-4, while rushing 10 times for 39 yards.

Georgia Tech was able to close the lead to three points quickly after the half with a three-play, 64-yard drive, which included a 61-yard run by Nesbitt on the first play of the half.  However, N.C. State came back to regain their 10-point lead and extend it with a six-yard touchdown reception by Jarvis Williams on the next drive and a six-yard touchdown run by Wilson on the drive following that.

The Yellow Jackets finally completed a pass with 2:45 left in the third quarter.  At the start of the fourth quarter, Georgia Tech completed their second pass on a 50-yard reception by Anthony Allen, followed by a 32-yard touchdown grab by Tyler Melton for the team’s third completion on back-to-back plays. 

Georgia Tech closed the Wolfpack lead to a mere three points in the fourth quarter when Russell Wilson was picked off for a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown.  This was Wilson’s first interception he has thrown after the first four games of the season.  Wilson was able to forget the miscue quickly as he marched N.C. State back down the field, finishing the drive with a 23-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Graham for his third passing touchdown of the game and 11th on the season.  Wilson finished the game completing 28 of 41 passes for 368 yards while tossing for three touchdowns as well as scoring one on the ground.

Mustafa Greene has been a bright spot for the Wolfpack, who coming into the season had questions about their squad in the backfield.  Greene scored late in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach for Georgia Tech.  Greene has found the end zone in all four games this season, also the first four games of his collegiate career.  He finished the game with 68 yards on 13 carries, while counterpart Dean Haynes finished with 75 yards on 18 carries.

N.C. State amassed 527 yards of total offense in their trip to Atlanta, GA, continuing with their winning ways.  With the commanding wins the Wolfpack have put up in the last two weeks against Cincinnati and Georgia Tech, fans should expect to see their team make a strong push towards the AP Top 25.  With their next two games at home, N.C. State will look to continue their winning streak further into conference play.  N.C. State has been a surprise in the conference so far this year and they will look to keep playing well play with their eyes set on fighting for the ACC title.

Russell Wilson threw for 368 yards and three touchdowns as the NC State Wolfpack went on the road and defeated Georgia Tech 45-28.

Georgia Tech had a late run in the fourth quarter to make the game closer but the Wolfpack hung on to win on the road.

The NC State Defense was especially stout today only allowing 247 rushing yards, which may sound like a lot but Georgia Tech's offense ranks third in rushing in the nation averaging 345 yards a game.

NC State's defense forced GT to throw an uncharacteristic amount of times (18) and forced them into many 3rd-and-longs.

Georgia Tech was 4-14 on third down and 1-4 on fourth down, GT also had trouble holding to the ball fumbling two times.

Dean Haynes and Mustafa Greene rushed for a total of 149 yards and one touchdown. With each passing game the freshmen running backs continue to grow and surprise with their game play.

Georgia Tech's leading rusher was Josh Nesbitt who had 95 yards on 19 carries, but that stat is misleading considering the majority of his yards came on a 61-yard rush on the first play in the third quarter.

Georgia Tech and NC State's special teams both were not very good. GT had a blocked punt returned for a touchdown and NC State's kicker Josh Czajkowski missed two kicks that were chip shots.

Overall I was very impressed with the way Russell Wilson and the rest of the offense played, along with the Wolfpack defense.

Free College Football Picks of the Week.

The North Carolina State Wolfpack and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will both be gunning for a victory on Saturday when they meet at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Oddsmakers currently have the Yellow Jackets listed as 8-point favorites versus the Wolfpack, while the game's total is sitting at 57½.

North Carolina State won its last outing, a 30-19 result against Cincinnati on September 16. North Carolina State covered in that game as a 2-point favorite, while the 49 combined points took the game UNDER the total.

Georgia Tech won its last outing, a 30-24 result against North Carolina on September 18. Georgia Tech covered in that game as a 3-point underdog, while the 54 combined points took the game OVER the total.

Current streak:
North Carolina State has won 3 straight games.

Team records:
North Carolina State: 3-0 SU, 2-0 ATS
Georgia Tech: 2-1 SU, 1-1 ATS

North Carolina State most recently:
When playing in September are 7-3
When playing on grass are 6-4
After outgaining opponent are 5-5
When playing within the conference are 4-6

Georgia Tech most recently:
When playing in September are 7-3
When playing on grass are 8-2
After outgaining opponent are 6-4
When playing within the conference are 9-1

A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of North Carolina State's last 6 games when playing Georgia Tech
North Carolina State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
North Carolina State is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
North Carolina State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing North Carolina State
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Georgia Tech's last 6 games when playing North Carolina State
Georgia Tech is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against North Carolina State
Georgia Tech is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games

Next up:
North Carolina State home to Virginia Tech, Saturday, October 2
Georgia Tech at Wake Forest, Saturday, October 2

Visit Freepick1.com each day for winning sports picks

North Carolina State had their way on Thursday night with back to back Big East Champion, Cincinnati, on national television.  The Wolfpack jumped out to an early 14-0 lead by the end of the first quarter with a balanced attack on the ground and through the air with a 16-yard touchdown reception by Jay Smith, followed on the very next drive by a 31-yard dash to the end zone by freshman Mustafa Greene.

Cincinnati’s offense struggled to get anything going on their first six possessions.  The Bearcats missed a field goal and failed to convert a turnover in Wolfpack territory.  The two longest drives during these possessions resulted in a punt and a fumble.  The Bearcats just before the half on a two-play, quick strike, 74-yard touchdown drive.

NC State stalled on the first four drives of the second quarter, fumbling on three of the four possessions.  However, once Cincinnati managed to put some points on the scoreboard, it only re-ignited the NC State offense.  With just over three minutes left in the half, Russell Wilson lead the Wolfpack methodically down the field for another score before going into halftime.

The second half maintained a steady back and forth battle of field position, with a lone field goal by the Wolfpack being the only score in the third quarter.  North Carolina State eventually put the game out of hand with just over seven minutes on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Taylor Gentry after the defense managed to block a punt in Bearcat territory. 

Cincinnati came back with two more quick strikes at the end of the game to make the score more respectable than the game truly dictated. 

The NC State Wolfpack are off to their first 3-0 start since the Philip Rivers era and are already exceeding the expectations set forth during the preseason.  With several question marks looming in the ACC, the Wolfpack are looking to be the dark horse for the conference championship. 

Even with favorable matchups at home against Boston College and Wake Forest, they will still have a tough road ahead, having to travel to Atlanta to for a game against Georgia Tech, hosting another Thursday night matchup against Florida State, and two in-state rivalry games against North Carolina and East Carolina. 

Coach Tom O’Brien will be looking for his team to ride the momentum of the great win with a short week of preparation in an effort to establish themselves as one of the better teams in the ACC

With the exception of a seam route by Cincinnati receiver DJ Woods just before the half and the last few minutes of the fourth, the NC State Wolfpack completely dominated the Cincinnati Bearcats Thursday night on ESPN. 

The last two scores for Cincinnati made the final result (30-19) look more respectable, but the game was not as close as the score indicated.

In fact, after NC State’s defense failed to cover the middle of field while quarterback Zach Collaros threw to wide-open receiver DJ Woods for a touchdown, the offense calmly took the field with only 3:12 left in the half. 

Just over two minutes later, NC State had scored again with a pass from quarterback Russell Wilson to tailback Curtis Underwood, Jr. The score at half was a comfortable 20-7 in favor of the Wolfpack.

In the second half, the Bearcats continued to struggle moving the ball. Excluding the final two scoring drives, which only affected the odds betters, Cincinnati finished with only 226 yards of total offense—nearly a third of that came on the touchdown to Woods in the first half.

The defense maintained constant pressure on the Bearcats' offensive line, which had to face at least five rushers on nearly every play. Collaros was sacked five times, in large part by the creative movement of the rush by defensive coordinator Mike Archer and linebackers' coach Jon Tenuta.

Russell Wilson performed up to his All-ACC quarterback status with 333 yards and three touchdowns. Last week against UCF, Wilson struggled to connect with his receivers, finishing with only 105 yards on 10-for-30 passing and one touchdown.

The running game also continues to improve. Led by true freshman Mustafa Greene (16 carries, 84 yards, and one touchdown), the Wolfpack as a team tabulated 158 yards on the ground averaging 4.4 yards per carry. A consistent running game combined with Wilson’s prowess as a passer made for a dangerous combination.

Granted, the win last night came against the reigning Big East Champion under a new coach and missing some key players from last year’s squad, and the Big East is ranked worse than the ACC as the fourth conference from the bottom in FBS according to ESPN's new conference power rankings.

But this is best “statement” by the ACC in non-conference play, and we’re already in Week 3. 

With the conference wide open, NC State has to be considered a threat for the ACC crown. 

Unless, of course, they play down to their competition as the conference opener looms next week.

College football is back in session on Thursday night when the Cincinnati Bearcats take on the North Carolina State Wolfpack. This Big East vs. ACC clash will be an interesting non-conference battle that has both teams searching for respect. The college football betting odds posted by Bet Mania have the Wolfpack as slight 1.5 point favorites to win this game.

Cincinnati Bearcats: The Bearcats are 1-1 as they enter this game. They lost the season opener at Fresno St and then rebounded quite nicely to pound Indiana St. by a final score of 40-7. New head coach Butch Jones is still trying to prove to the fans and supporters that the Bearcats have not lost a step since Brian Kelly jumped ship and headed to Notre Dame. Though the Bearcats beat Indiana St. soundly in the last game, they struggled at times and only managed only 12 points in the first half. In the second half they were bailed out by a rushing attack that gained 263 yards on the ground. The real concern for Bearcat backers is the line play on both sides of the ball. The offensive line has struggled protecting the quarterback all season, but thankfully the Bearcat field general, Zach Collaros is fleet of foot. The loss of Vidal Hazelton on the season to injury has been a very tough void to fill. On defense, they rarely pressure the opposing passer and that could hurt them in this contest against NC State.

North Carolina St. Wolfpack: The Wolfpack are 2-0 on the year after getting an opening win over Western Carolina and following that up with a road win at Central Florida. The win over Central Florida was particularly impressive because the defense had to make up for the offense and it is usually the other way around. The defense was responsible for five turnovers and one score as they returned an interception for a touchdown. The Pack added a blocked punt to turn out a well-rounded win on the road. The Wolfpack had some issues on offense only gaining 239 total yards and allowing a kickoff return for a touchdown on special teams, but they still managed to walk away with the win. Quarterback Russell Wilson is a dual threat in the air and on the ground and is taking a workman’s like attitude about the upcoming game against Cincinnati.

“We got back home and I really realized that we need to get ready for Cincinnati,” he said. “It’s exciting, that’s the great thing about football, you can play Saturday and then, this week, it’s the next Thursday.

“It’s no more exciting for me, a game’s a game. The crowd may be a little bit louder here [on Thursday]. I know here they are always pretty loud. Hopefully, they are all in red but it’s definitely exciting. At the same time, you have to just treat it like just another game, get out there and do your best.”

Game Time prediction: Wolfpack head coach Tom O’Brien is in his fourth season and finally has the pieces in place that he wants. Wilson is underrated as a quarterback, but he is a viable option at quarterback and will do well against a Bearcat defense that has a lack of pressure from the front.

The Bearcats' offense is good enough to score some points on Thursday but the Wolfpack defense is very opportunistic and will cause some turnovers. This will be the difference in the game. The Bearcats are 3-10 against the spread (ATS) in non-conference games and the Wolfpack are 8-1 ATS in the last nine games coming off a road game. The Bearcats' trend may be a bit misleading considering the coaching and personnel change but it reflects how tough it can be to play out of conference.The Wolfpack are 9-3-1 ATS in the last 13 games at home and 8-2-2 ATS in the last 12 games off an ATS win.  North Carolina St is returning home bubbling over with confidence after an impressive road win and that will translate into a win on Thursday night.

The play for me is North Carolina St -1.5 as they win a high scoring affair on ESPN on Thursday night.

Final: North Carolina St 31 Cincinnati 27

College football Previews

California at Nevada

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Matt Regaw is a B/R Featured Columnist and the founder of BookieBlitz.com, your one-stop shop for sports articles, previews, and predictions. Feel Free to contact Matt at mregaw@gmail.com

The N.C. State Wolfpack traveled to Bright House Networks Stadium in Orlando, Florida to take on the Knights of Central Florida.

The Wolfpack would score three unanswered touchdowns before Central Florida would get on the board.

N.C. State would hold the Central Florida offense scoreless in the first half. The only blip was the 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Quincy McDuffie.

N.C. State would not score offensively for the entire game. The only time they scored in the second half was on an interception returned for a touchdown by C.J. Wilson.

Central Florida would attempt a fourth quarter comeback by scoring twice, but their attempt would falter when the Central Florida receiver fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Terrell Manning on the Wolfpack 10-yard line.

The final score of the game would be 28-21 N.C. State Wolfpack prevailing after surviving the comeback attempt by UCF.

Dean Haynes and Mustafa Greene both had good nights. They would combine for a total of 99 yards on 24 carries.

Russell Wilson's night was quite mediocre compared to some of his other games. Wilson only completed 10 of his 30 attempted passes for 105 yards and one touchdown.

Darrell Davis and George Bryan were the top pass catchers, with Davis catching two passes for 38 yards and one touchdown, while Bryan had three catches for 35 yards.

The defense looked very good in the first half against the Knights and their starting quarterback Rob Calabrese.

Calabrese threw two interceptions against the Wolfpack defense and was pulled in the third quarter in favor of backup Jeffrey Godfrey.

Godfrey had much better success, throwing for 107 yards and also rushing for 53 yards on 10 carries and two touchdowns.

The Wolfpack defense did poorly in the fourth quarter but overall did a decent job. They had a total of three interceptions on the day with two sacks.

The top performer on defense was junior linebacker Audie Cole, who had 12 tackles and one sack. Brandon Bishop was also busy in the secondary with six tackles.

Overall this was a nice warm-up game for the Wolfpack, who will face a big challenge at Carter-Finley Stadium this Thursday against the Cincinnati Bearcats.

The NC State Wolfpack are making sure to ease into this season. 

Last week’s season opener against Western Carolina of the Southern Conference provided little challenge to the Wolfpack, allowing for mistakes to be made and reconciled before facing stiffer competition.

One of those mistakes was allowing WCU to orchestrate a 10-play touchdown scoring drive on the first possession of the game.  That would be the only score by WCU in the game, as the defense tightened its control.

Wolfpack QB Russell Wilson also got loose, throwing for 306 yards and four touchdowns.  His favorite target was WR T.J. Graham, who has had injury problems over the last few years, limiting his effectiveness. 

Eleven different receivers caught passes, but many would not have seen the field if the game were closer.

The running game faced questions this offseason, trying to replace Toney Baker and Jamelle Eugene, backs who had tremendous experience.  But in a surprise move, coach Tom O’Brien decided not to start junior Curtis Underwood and featured two freshmen instead: Dean Haynes and Mustafa Greene.

Haynes and Greene combined for just over 100 yards and two touchdowns on the day, showing they can provide some balance in the offense.  However, more will be expected as they gain more experience and face tougher competition.

UCF figures to be a step up in competition before the Wolfpack faces last year’s Big East champion, Cincinnati, followed by nationally-ranked conference foes Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech.

The Golden Knights began their season last week against South Dakota.  QB Rob Calabrese played an efficient game by completing 12 of his 15 passes.

Coach O’Leary still featured the running game, his trademark.  The Golden Knights finished with 231 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, aided by a commanding lead throughout the game.

RB Brynn Harvey led UCF in rushing last season with over 1,100 yards and 14 TDs.  He likely will not play as he recovers from a knee injury, but Jonathan Smith will fill in admirably.  Smith’s short stature and thick build make him tough to tackle.

Time to Produce

The win last week against WCU was the first season-opening victory for Coach O'Brien in his four years at NC State.  Injuries to critical players have limited the success of the program. 

In the summer before the 2009 season, LB and defensive leader Nate Irving wrecked his automobile sustaining life-threatening injuries.  He recovered fully but missed all of last season.

RB has been another position in turmoil.  Toney Baker entered NC State as the leading rusher in North Carolina high school football history, but he missed nearly two full seasons at NC State (2007-2008) after injuring and re-injuring his knee.  He chose to forgo a sixth season of eligibility granted to him for medical hardship and entered the NFL draft.

Earlier this spring, four team members, including Pre-season All-ACC TE George Bryan, were found with illegal drugs in their apartment.  The cases against the players have all been dismissed, but the program could have done without the negative publicity.

It's time for O'Brien to put the pieces together and compete in the Atlantic Division or else look for new employment.  NC State’s defense, led by LB Nate Irving, must be ready to stop the strong running of the Golden Knights in order to begin the journey of returning to a bowl game.

NC State fans were hoping for more success under Tom O’Brien than they have had in three seasons. But with one of the best QBs in the conference returning, are results going to finally meet expectations?

I contacted Allen Lopp, a BR featured columnist for NC State , to get more info on the Wolfpack for the upcoming season.

Q: How much progress has Tom O'Brien made in three years? Is it enough?

A: O'Brien, while at NC State, has frankly made little progress. As the old saying goes, one foot forward, two steps back. The team was supposed to have thrived last year after coming off a trip to a bowl game two years prior, and having the reigning ACC Rookie of the Year and first team All-ACC quarterback Russell Wilson.

While Wilson's performance last year was phenomenal, the defense was a huge letdown, as they were supposed to be improving but didn't. So to really answer your question, the team is on the right track, they just have more adjustments to make to turn the team into a winner.

Q: What is QB Russell Wilson's status for next season? If he does not return, how much confidence do State fans have in Mike Glennon?

A: All things indicate towards Wilson playing next year, but if his baseball career really takes off, he could forfeit his chance to play college football. Mike Glennon would take over the reigns at quarterback, and he is very similar to a QB that O'Brien had at BC named Matt Ryan.

Glennon is a pro style QB, who has a big arm and is very accurate with his throws. He performed well in the spring game, and I believe if he was inserted into the QB, the offense wouldn't miss a beat.

Q: Who is the primary ball carrier going to be after the top two rushers from last year departed?

A: The running game for the Wolfpack last year was really nonexistent, but the guys rushing the ball were experienced. This year, there is no real no. 1 back, so I'd expect the coaching staff to use a trio of guys (Curtis Underwood, James Washington, and Brandon Barnes) in the beginning until a front runner emerges. 

Q: Why do you think State does not have a difference making offensive line after O'Brien did so well with the unit at BC?

A: When Tom O'Brien arrived at NC State, the offensive line as a unit was a complete disaster. He really did a lot of work in his first two years to piece together the offensive line, to where they are now a unit that is steadily improving. He is having success recently in recruiting the big offensive line recruits, and along with some transfers, will make a solid offensive line with game experience. 

Q: Are NC State fans excited about the arrival of Jon Tenuta as LB coach or is his luster gone after the stint at Notre Dame?

A: I would have to say a little of both; Jon Tenuta was a hot commodity a few years ago before he went to Notre Dame. Now that he's left as their defensive coordinator, and come to NC State as a linebackers coach, there's been a ton of confusion.

Tenuta's defenses at Notre Dame were not terrible; they were on a steady incline. Either way, I think that there is a general consensus that he is a defensive guru and will help Mike Archer turn around that dreadful defense.

Q: Who is going to step up on a defensive line that lost all four starters from a year ago?

A: The defensive line this year will be a huge question. Like you already said, they lost all four starters. There is some experience on the defensive line with Brian Slay having played around 115 snaps, Audi Augustin having 11 QB pressures, and David Akinniyi having had four sacks with Northeastern. 

Q: Explain the difference in having a healthy Nate Irving at LB.

A: Having Nate Irving back and healthy is huge. He is the leader of the defense, like the quarterback is the leader of the offense. When the Wolfpack made that run two years ago, and went to the bowl game, he was a huge reason why. Nasty Nate is like a predator in the wild when he is on the football field.

Q: What is going to be different about the secondary this year that was ninth in pass defense last season?

A: The secondary last year was terrible but that was mainly due to inexperience. Every starter last year in the secondary was a freshman and with last year's experience, they should be much improved.

Q: Who are some of the freshmen that could see significant action this season?

A: Barring any injuries, there shouldn't any freshmen playing a lot on offense.

The defensive side of the ball is a different story. On the defensive line, A.J. Ferguson should see a fair amount of playing time at defensive end. In the secondary safety, Dean Haynes should get some playing time, if just on special teams.

Q: What has it meant to State fans to beat Carolina three years in a row? How much does it make up for just one bowl bid?

A: Beating Carolina is what NC State fans strive for every year, whether it is in football, basketball, baseball, or tennis. It is even sweeter beating Carolina since Butch Davis has been there, because he was suppose to make them "national champion contenders" since year one.

In my mind, beating Carolina is sweeter, but having only one bowl bid isn't what I had in mind so far. But last year's game against Carolina was like a bowl game.

Q: Describe a successful season this year. Describe a disappointing one.

A: Describing a successful season is difficult because it is hard to gauge the team this year. Most people are predicting the Wolfpack to finish third in the Atlantic Division.

I would say a successful season would be a third place finish and a trip to a bowl game, while a disappointing season would be a be finishing fourth in the Atlantic and not making a bowl game.

Q: What is your prediction for the season?

A: My prediction for the NC State Wolfpack this season is for them to finish third in the Atlantic Division of the ACC, and for them to cause a couple of upsets to top ranked opponents.

The sky is the ceiling for the Wolfpack as Florida State and Boston College are really the only teams that stand in their way. Clemson will be starting with a new freshman QB and Wake Forest will be without four-year starter Riley Skinner.

My take on NC State…

You can call me surprised at how much O’Brien has struggled at NC State, a program you thought it would be easier to win at than BC, based on recruiting area.

State struggled with turnovers and bad offensive line play, two things you do not see with O’Brien's teams.

I am beginning to think he is just not a good fit in Raleigh, being a Midwestern guy who has coached in the Northeast.

They draw a tough schedule from the Coastal, facing Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and North Carolina this season, so it is hard to see a huge improvement on their win total.

Prediction:
5-7, Sixth in Atlantic Division

Thanks again to Allen for his answers.