Wake Forest @ North Carolina State preview
Carter-Finley Stadium
Last Meeting ( Oct 3, 2009 ) North Carolina State 24, Wake Forest 30
North Carolina State is getting some poll votes and controls its own destiny in the ACC race, still tied for the Atlantic Division lead despite last Saturday's 14-13 loss to Clemson. Wake Forest (2-7, 1-5) is on a seven-game losing streak after falling to Boston College 23-13.
While Tom O'Brien (22-24 in his four seasons at N.C. State) has the Wolfpack on the rise, Jim Grobe (61-58 in his 10 seasons at Wake Forest) has seen his program take a step back.
The Wolfpack (6-3, 3-2) lead the ACC in total offense (420.4 yards per game) and passing (286.4) and will go only as far as Russell Wilson's arm can take them. Clemson beat N.C. State by holding Wilson to 22 of 36 for 212 yards, one touchdown and one interception. At one time virtually interception-proof, Wilson has thrown 10 picks in the past four games. But he has 20 touchdown passes for the season, leads the ACC in total offense (312.4 yards per game) and passing (279.3).
Wilson does it by spreading the ball around. Big-play senior Owen Spencer leads the team with 40 receptions and eight others have 10 or more. In his career, Spencer has 106 catches for 2,098 yards — a 19.8-yard average. Senior Jarvis Williams is third on the Wolfpack career list with 18 touchdown catches, including three this year. Tight end George Bryan (26 catches, 301 yards, three TDs) is another key target, and N.C. State is getting maximum mileage from freshmen running backs Dean Haynes and Mustafa Greene. Hayes has rushed for 326 yards and two touchdowns on 80 carries, and caught 13 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown. Greene leads the team with 521 yards on 114 carries and has 22 receptions for 201 yards.
One reason N.C. State kept it close against Clemson was the play of junior defensive tackle J.R. Sweezy. He forced a fumble and pushed Clemson back 37 yards with two sacks and four other tackles behind the line.
The first starter lost by N.C. State all season is senior placekicker Josh Czajkowski, out for the rest of the year after a hamstring injury in the Clemson game. He will be replaced by either junior Ellis Flint or freshman Chris Hawthorne. Czajkowski made 40 of 49 field goal attempts in his career.
Wake Forest has won four of the last five meetings with the Wolfpack, including 30-24 last year.
The Demon Deacons are 42nd nationally in rushing yardage, averaging 168.0 per game. But they rank near the bottom of the ACC in all other offensive and defensive categories.
Against Boston College, freshman quarterback Tanner Price threw four first-half interceptions and finished with 177 yards, completing 18 of 30 attempts. For the season he has 1,056 yards, seven touchdown passes and eight interceptions. Leading rusher Josh Harris averages 65.5 yards a game and top receiver Chris Givens has 28 catches for 467 yards.