John Joyner
Head coach Dave Doeren pumps up his team before taking the field for the game against Boston College Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014. The Wolfpack fell to the Eagles, 30-14. Despite recruiting well, Doeren has been unable to lead N.C. State to a conference victory since taking over from former head coach Tom O'Brien at the start of the 2013 season. Photo by John Joyner.
After doubling last season’s win total and clinching bowl eligibility, the NC State football team looks to close out the regular season with a win against rival UNC.
Having lost its last two meetings with the Tar Heels (6-5, 4-3 ACC), the Wolfpack rolls into Saturday’s showdown hoping to turn the tide in its favor and secure bragging rights for the next calendar year.
“I’m really excited the ACC moved this game to the end of the year,” NC State head coach Dave Doeren said at last week’s ACC Coaches Press Conference. “Regardless of the team’s records, these kinds of games are going to be huge ones for both schools.”
With a 42-13 trouncing of Wake Forest just two weeks ago, the Wolfpack offense has seemed to hit its stride at just the right time. The Tar Heels enter Saturday’s contest with a defense that ranks near the bottomed in almost every category: 119th in total defense, 122nd in scoring, 108th in rushing, and 118th in passing. Both Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada and redshirt junior quarterback Jacoby Brissett should have no problem getting the offense going and moving the ball up and down the field.
As for the Wolfpack defense, the Heels’ offense has the ability for big plays from quarterback Marquise Williams. Ranking 19th and 20th in passing and scoring offense respectively, UNC won’t shy away from a shootout if it were to come to that.
“[UNC] is coming off a big win at Duke and are a very explosive offense,” Doeren said. “Top three in almost every ACC statistic in offense.”
This will be the 104th time the Pack and the Heels have met on the football field, and the rivalry intensifies every year.
“Obviously beating them makes the seventh win pretty special,” Doeren said. “But our goal is to get into a bowl game and win. One of our goals was to beat everybody we play in-state, and that’s another part of what this is.”