First look: NC State welcomes Miami to Raleigh in quest for bowl eligibility
N.C. State hopes to stun another conference opponent this week when Miami comes to town.
The Wolfpack defeated Clemson, 24-17, on Saturday. The team wouldn’t call it an upset – it believed it could pull off the victory – but the sports books and ESPN statistics do.
Now, NC State hosts the Hurricanes. They’re coming off back-to-back overtime wins against Clemson and Virginia. They’ve had four straight games decided by 10 points or fewer, including the infamous 23-20 loss to Georgia Tech decided in the final seconds.
Both teams have wins over Clemson and Virginia, though the Pack managed to pull off both victories in regulation.
Miami beat Clemson, 28-20, in double overtime and narrowly escaped with a 29-26 win in OT against the Cavaliers. N.C. State beat the Tigers by a touchdown and topped UVA, 24-21.
The Hurricanes lead the all-time series 11-5-1, winning four straight against N.C. State. The Wolfpack’s most recent victory in the series came in 2008, when it beat the Hurricanes, 38-28.
Miami is statistically one of the toughest opponents in the conference. It ranks No. 3 or better in the ACC in more than a dozen categories, including points per game, opponent points per game, total offense, total defense and defensive touchdowns.
N.C. State’s defense dominated in its outing against the Tigers and the offense, logging two turnovers that the Pack turned into points.
Key things to watch: Penalties, NC State’s defensive health
Miami has shown it can consistently score, whether via pass, rush, kick or interception. The Hurricanes have also shown they can beat themselves. That includes the decision against taking a knee late in the Georgia Tech loss. The Hurricanes are also one of the worst teams in the nation in penalties.
They rank No. 14 in the ACC for penalty yards (513) and penalty yards per game (73.9). Additionally, Miami lands at No. 12 for penalties per game (7.3).
Pre-snap penalties on offense hurt momentum and defensive penalties can give opponents free yardage.
N.C. State is just as guilty of racking up self-inflicted wounds, recording 412 penalty yards, 58.8 penalty yards per game and averaging 7.0 penalties per game. The Wolfpack cleaned those up in the matchup against Clemson, finishing with just two penalties for a total of six yards.
Clemson finished with four penalties and 45 yards. Both defensive penalties gave the Pack automatic first downs and led to points on the drive.
Defensive end Davin Vann and linebacker Payton Wilson both sustained injuries against Clemson. They both walked off the field on their own, and Vann returned to the game. Wilson accounted for one touchdown, recording his first career pick six and adding eight tackles.
With an already thin safety room and guys playing in spots they’re not typically at, N.C. State really needs both players available again.
The Pack needs to stay disciplined once again, build on the positives from its win over the Tigers, and cross fingers for healthy players. If those can all happen, another upset at Carter-Finley Stadium could happen.
Vegas betting odds
U.S. sportsbooks installed Miami as a four-point favorite on Sunday.
Miami at NC State game and TV info
Teams: N.C. State Wolfpack (5-3, 2-2 ACC) vs. Miami Hurricanes (6-2, 2-2 ACC)
Where: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, North Carolina
Date: Saturday, Nov. 4
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: ACC Network
Stream: DIRECTV Stream, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, SlingTV
