(Photo Credit: 247Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB CJ Bailey, RB Hollywood Smothers, WR Noah Rogers, TE Justin Joly, OG Anthony Carter Jr., OT Jacarrius Peak, DE Travali Price, NT Brandon Cleveland, LB Kamal Bonner, LB Sean Brown, CB Devon Marshall, PK Kanoah Vinesett, and PT Caden Noonkester.
Key Players Departing:
RB Kendrick Raphael, RB Jordan Waters, WR/PR Kevin Concepcion, OC Zeke Correll, OG Timothy McKay, OT Anthony Belton, DE Davin Vann, LB Devon Betty, CB Brandon Cisse, CB Aydan White, NB Tamarcus Cooley, FS/KR DK Kaufman, SS Bishop Fitzgerald, and PR Jalen Coit.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: OL Spike Sowells (Louisville, Kentucky), OT Ta’Khyian Whitset (Antioch, Tennessee), and ATH Jerel Bolder (Marshville, North Carolina).
3 Star Recruits: RB Deandre Desinor (Delray Beach, Florida), QB Will Wilson (Columbia, South Carolina), WR Gerritt Kemp (Dacula, Georgia), OL Michael Gibbs (Wilmington, North Carolina), RB Kentrell Rinehart (Galloway, Ohio), EDGE Colby Cronk (Palm Coast, Florida), and LB Ke’Von Carter (San Antonio, Texas).
2024 Results:
G01 WESTERN CAROLINA W 38-21
G02 vs. #14 Tennessee L 10-51
G03 LOUISIANA TECH W 30-20
G04 @ #21 Clemson L 35-59
G05 NORTHERN ILLINOIS W 24-17
G06 WAKE FOREST L 30-34
G07 SYRACUSE L 24-17
G08 @ California W 24-23
G09 STANFORD W 17-24
G10 DUKE L 19-29
G11 @ Georgia Tech L 29-30
G12 @ North Carolina W 35-30
BOWL vs. East Carolina L 21-26
Misc. Team Information:
2024 Record: 6-7 (11th in ACC)
Home: 4-3
Away: 2-2
Neutral: 0-2
ACC: 2-5
Non-AAC: 4-1
Head Coach: Dave Doeren
NC State: 88-64
Bowls: 4-6
Career: 111-68
(Photo Credit: Pack Pride/247Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: CJ Bailey (196-302, 2413 yards, 64.1%, 7.9 avg., 14 TD, 9 INT)
Rushing: Hollywood Smothers (89 car., 571 yards, 6.4 avg., 6 TD)
Receiving: Justin Joly (43 rec., 661 yards, 15.4 avg., 4 TD)
TDs Scored: Hollywood Smothers (8)
Sacks: Travali Price (3.5)
Tackles: Sean Brown (96)
Tackles For Loss: Sean Brown/Travali Price (9)
Interceptions: Devon Marshall (2)
Pass Deflections: Devon Marshall (7)
Forced Fumbles: Sean Brown (2)
Kick Returns: Hollywood Smothers (3 ret., 51 yards, 17.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Kanoah Vinesett (18-24 fg/fga., 75%, 34-34 xp/xpa., 88 pts.)
Punting: Caden Noonkester (47 punts, 2047 yards, 43.6 avg., 17 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 16 CJ Bailey (SO)
RB: 20 Hollywood Smothers (RS SO/TR)
WR: 5 Noah Rogers (RS SO/TR)
WR: 6 Wesley Grimes (SR/TR)
WR: 9 Terrell Anderson (SO)
WR: 15 Justin Joly (SR/TR)
LT: 65 Jacarrius Peak (RS JR)
LG: 75 Anthony Carter Jr. (GR)
OC: 74 Jalen Grant (GR/TR)
RG: 54 Val Erickson (RS JR/TR)
RT: 56 Teague Andersen (RS JR/TR)
KR: 20 Hollywood Smothers (RS SO/TR)
PK: 94 Kanoah Vinesett (RS JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 45 Josh Alexander-Felton (RS FR)
NT: 44 Brandon Cleveland (SR)
DE: 13 Travali Price (RS SR)
LB: 0 Sean Brown (RS SR)
LB: 10 Caden Fordham (RS SR)
LB: 4 Tra Thomas (GR/TR)
NB: 2 Ronnie Royal III (RS FR)
CB: 16 Devon Marshall (SR/TR)
CB: 22 Jackson Vick (RS JR)
FS: 14 Rente Hinton (RS SR/TR)
SS: 16 JJ Johnson (GR/TR)
PR: 6 Wesley Grimes (SR/TR)
PT: 98 Caden Noonkester (RS SR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: B
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/30 EAST CAROLINA PIRATES | NC State leads the series 19-13. The Wolfpack won (21-20) the last meeting in 2022, and they won (34-6) the prior meeting in 2019.
09/06 VIRGINIA CAVALIERS | NC State leads the series 37-22-1. The Wolfpack won (24-21) the last meeting in 2023, and they won (38-21) the prior meeting in 2020.
09/11 @ Wake Forest Demon Deacons | NC State leads the series 69-43-6. The Wolfpack are 5-5 since 2015, and their last series win (26-6) was in 2023.
09/20 @ Duke Blue Devils | NC State trails the series 37-43-5. The Wolfpack are 1-2 since 2020, and their last series win (31-20) was in 2020.
09/27 VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES | NC State trails the series 20-28-4. The Wolfpack are 2-2 since 2015, and their last series loss (245) was in 2020.
10/04 CAMPBELL CAMELS | First meeting.
10/11 @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish | The series is tied 2-2. The Wolfpack are 1-2 since 2016, and their last series win (10-3) was in 2016.
10/25 @ Pittsburgh Panthers | The series is tied 5-5-1. The Wolfpack won (30-29) the last meeting in 2020, and they won (35-17) the prior meeting in 2017.
11/01 GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS | NC State trails the series 11-21. The Wolfpack lost (29-30) last season’s meeting, and they won (23-13) the prior meeting in 2020.
11/15 @ Miami (FL) Hurricanes | NC State trails the series 6-11-1. The Wolfpack are 1-3 since 2016, and they won (20-6) the last meeting in 2023.
11/21 FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES | NC State trails the series 16-26. The Wolfpack are 5-3 since 2015, and their last series loss (13-31) was in 2019.
11/29 NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS | NC State trails the series 40-68-6. The Wolfpack are 7-3 since 2015, and their last series loss (21-48) was in 2020.
Predictions:
Home: 4-2
Road: 1-5
Neutral: 0-0
ACC: 3-5
Non-ACC: 2-2
Overall: 5-7 (13th in ACC)
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