After a rocky season-opening win over Western Carolina, No. 24 NC State football will travel to Charlotte, North Carolina to take on No. 14 Tennessee on Saturday.
Seeking a signature win, NC State will face Tennessee for the fifth time in program history. The two teams last played each other in 2012 with the Volunteers coming away with a 35-21 victory.
NC State has had limited success in its most recent matchups against teams from the SEC. It has been nearly eight years since the Pack has defeated an SEC team — Vanderbilt — which is the only victory over an SEC opponent in head coach Dave Doeren’s tenure. Since then, NC State has dropped its last four games against teams in the SEC.
Star quarterback Nico Iamaleava, made his first start last fall in a bowl win. The former five-star signal-caller flashed his potential against a ranked Iowa squad, completing 12 passes for 151 yards and running for three scores in a 35-0 win.
Last week, Iamaleava helped get Tennessee off on the right foot, throwing for 314 yards and three touchdowns in a 69-3 win over Chattanooga. He has a talented supporting cast with names such as wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. who racked up 105 receiving yards and two touchdowns on only three receptions last week. Another name to keep an eye out for is Preseason Third-Team All-SEC wide receiver Squirrel White. White was the Volunteers’ leading pass catcher last season, posting three 100-yard games during his 803-yard campaign.
The high-level Tennessee offense is complimented by running back Dylan Sampson. With the loss of their leading rusher from last season, the Vols are expecting Sampson to take on a larger role. Last season, he made strides at running back, churning for 604 yards as the backup. Sampson performed well last week, scoring three touchdowns on 124 yards.
Tennessee’s offense will be a tough test for an NC State defense that had issues for most of its game against Western Carolina. The Pack allowed 286 all-purpose yards to Catamounts quarterback Cole Gonzales which is a cause for concern given the capabilities of Iamaleava. The defense only forced one turnover last week which will undoubtedly be a goal for the Pack this week as it will search for opportunities to get off the field early.
During week one’s contest, NC State did well for the most part in containing the run. Despite allowing 75 yards to Gonzales, it only allowed 45 additional rushing yards to everyone else.
Last week, the experience of the NC State secondary was highlighted. This week will be a hefty test for this unit as it will face one of the best quarterbacks in the nation. With team leader graduate cornerback Aydan White patrolling the back end, the Pack will look to make a statement in limiting the Volunteer passing threat.
On the other side of the ball, NC State will look to establish a consistent offensive presence. For much of its game against Western Carolina, the offense sputtered in key moments as it trailed going into the fourth quarter. However, things clicked in the fourth when the Wolfpack scored 21 points. NC State will look to build off of the fourth quarter and replicate it the best it can this weekend.
Despite posting 521 total yards of offense last week, there are improvements that NC State will look to make. At multiple points last week, graduate quarterback Grayson McCall missed throws that he usually doesn’t, something he can’t cannot afford to do this week. The offense will also need to limit mistakes such as turnovers as an early interception last week proved the catalyst for the opposition.
McCall and the rest of the offense will have a lot to deal with on the other side. Tennessee’s defense, led by Preseason All-American defensive lineman James Pearce, will be one of the most physical units the Wolfpack faces all season. Tabbed as a top prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft, Pearce consistently wreaks havoc up front — he amassed 14.5 tackles for a loss and 10 sacks in 2023.
Pearce plays a pivotal role in the Vols’ defense as the unit underwent turnover from a season ago. However, that did not seem to be a problem last week as Tennessee only allowed 227 total yards against Chattanooga, one of the best teams at the FCS level.
Kickoff between the Wolfpack and the Volunteers is slated for 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 7. The game will take place in Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte and will be televised on ABC.
