Know Your Opponent: NC State

Know Your Opponent: NC State

By: Bryan Bruwer

Following a massive win against Florida State in the Red Bandana Game, the Eagles await #23 NC State, who were beaten by #4 Clemson this past week. NC State truly gave Clemson all they could handle, ultimately coming up short on a potential game winning drive in a 38-31 defeat.

The Wolfpack have a record of 6-3 this season, with their loses coming to 6-3 South Carolina, #3 ranked Notre Dame, and #4 Clemson. They are 4-3 in ACC play, with notable victories coming over Florida State and Louisville, who were ranked #12 and #17 respectively at the time of those victories. It is important not to underestimate this three loss NC State, as two of their three losses have come at the hands of teams who would be in the College Football Playoff if the season ended today.

Last season, BC picked up a what was at the time a rare conference win at NC State, a win that proved to be instrumental in their trip to Quick Lane Bowl. The Eagles have won three of their last four meetings with the Wolfpack dating back to the 2013 season.
BC will hold the advantage of being well-rested as they’re coming off their bye week, which came at a good time, as the team has been riddled with injuries as of late. The Eagles can become bowl eligible with a win, but NC State will be one of the toughest tests BC has faced this season.

NC State Offense:
The NC State offense, led by Quarterback Ryan Finley has had a good deal of success this season. They are averaging over 450 yards and 32 points per game, with Finley throwing for over 2100 yards and 15 touchdowns, and only three interceptions. Finley, a junior, has certainly done his part this season, boasting a completion percentage of 66.3% and is looking like one of the better quarterbacks in the ACC.
State wields a backfield committee that has been quite successful, with feature back Nyheim Hines scampering for 688 yards and 6 touchdowns. Power back Reggie Gallaspy II has also run for 342 yards, with 4 touchdowns.

Hines brings track star speed and is a big play threat anytime he steps on the field, but he suffered an ankle injury against Notre Dame back on October 28th. Although the injury was not believed to be serious, Hines only carried the ball 8 times against Clemson.
It is important to note that Ryan Finley attempted 50 passes against Clemson, which may have cut into Hines’ carries. Still, the health of Hines has to be in question, and the nature of the injury combined with his play style could have an impact on Saturday’s game.

NC State’s most versatile offensive weapon is H-Back Jaylen Samuel, who has scored 12 total touchdowns this year, with 8 of them coming on the ground. Samuel is a true jack of all trades capable of lining up at running back, wide receiver and tight end. This season, he has run for 247 yards, and racked up an additional 480 through the air. Samuel also leads the team in receptions with 59. Keeping Samuel in check will be of the utmost importance is BC wants to pull off another upset.

The NC State receiving core has been paced by sophomore Kelvin Harmon, who has 800 receiving yards this year and had a standout 8 catch, 155-yard game against Clemson. Harmon can stretch the defense with his speed and leaping ability, and his playstyle can be likened to that of Julio Jones. Harmon will certainly be a handful for the BC secondary, as he has risen to the occasion against elite teams such as Notre Dame and Clemson.

The Wolfpack offense also features receivers such as junior Stephen Louis and sophomore Jakobi Meyers, who each have over 400 yards receiving on the year and have combined for 6 touchdowns. Despite not being the focal points of the NC State offense, look for these two to contribute extensively this weekend if BC is able to limit the success of Samuel and Harmon.

If BC wants to defeat this NC State team, it’s imperative that they start fast, as the Wolfpack have outscored their opponents 89-48 in the first quarter so far this season. The pass rush must also show up against a solid NC State offensive line that has proven itself more than capable of keeping Ryan Finley upright. Harold Landry is listed as questionable as of Tuesday evening, and his potential absence could have a monumental impact on Saturday’s game.

NC State Defense/Special Teams:
Unfortunately for the Eagles, NC State has a pretty respectable defense to supplement their explosive offensive attack. The Wolfpack are allowing about 26 points per game, but allow only 256 passing yards per game and only 3.9 yards per carry. Their opponents are converting on 42% of third downs, and are scoring on 76% of their red-zone trips. They allow a cumulative 387 yards per game.
NC State has had some trouble stopping the run as of late, as Clemson picked up 224 yards on the ground last week. Two weeks ago, Notre Dame gashed the Wolfpack for 319 yards rushing. Expect a heavy dose of A.J. Dillon and Jon Hilliman this weekend.

In terms of individual talents, NC State’s defense is highlighted by senior defensive end Bradley Chubb. The brother of Georgia RB Nick Chubb, has 53 tackles and 7.5 sacks this season, and finished third in the ACC in tackles for loss last season. Chubb is projected by many to be a first round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and is the heart and soul of this NC State defense.

The linebacking core is led by senior Jerod Fernandez, who can be bluntly described as a tackling machine. Fernandez has racked up 73 tackles, which leads the team.

The NC State secondary is led by senior cornerback Johnathan Alston, who has recorded 39 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 6 passes deflected. He played well last week against Clemson, knocking down 2 passes and adding three tackles.
Another key piece on defense for the Wolfpack is sophomore safety Jarius Moorehead. Moorehead has made 61 tackles, and knocked away 4 passes so far this season.

An interesting component of this game is the special teams unit of NC State, in particular, grad transfer kicker Carson Wise. Wise has only converted on half of his field goal attempts this season, and is a putrid 2/7 on field goals between 30 and 39 yards in length. In addition, punter A.J. Cole III is averaging over 45 yards per punt, a mark that is among the best in the nation.

The Eagles must also be wary of the aforementioned Nyheim Hines, who has used his lethal combination of speed and agility to return 2 kickoffs for touchdowns during his time at NC State. Hines is also huge threat on punt returns, as evidenced by his 92 yard runback for a touchdown a few weeks ago against Pittsburgh.

Last Season’s Matchup
Last October, the Eagles went to Raleigh and knocked off the Wolfpack 21-14, picking up their first ACC win in almost two years. The Eagles were propelled by a late fourth quarter touchdown pass from running back Davon Jones, and they have had similar success on a few trick plays so far this season.

BC dominated time of possession, holding the ball for 36 minutes and keeping the NC State offense off the field. The Eagles also intercepted Ryan Finley twice but had a hard time containing Kelvin Harmon and Nyheim Hines. Harmon had 80 yards receiving and a touchdown, while Hines made his mark with 62 yards through the air after receiving only one carry.
Tommy Sweeney led the way for the Eagles with 5 catches for 78 yards and a score, and Jon Hilliman ran for 74 yards, a mark that one would expect A.J. Dillon would eclipse.

Prediction
This is one of the more difficult games to predict this year. Both of these teams have hung with elite competition such as Clemson, and have quality wins over opponents such as Louisville and Florida State. However, momentum will likely play a big role in this matchup. The Eagles are riding a three game winning streak, and there is an electricity surrounding the football team on campus that hasn’t been there in quite a while. NC State is trending in the opposite direction, with two straight loses, including a heartbreaker last week. Expect BC to at least keep it close, and don’t be surprised if the Eagles pull off another upset.

BC: 27 NC State: 23