The significant shift for N.C. State this season goes beyond the fresh faces on offense, the changes in defensive leadership, the departure of the dependable kicker Christopher Dunn, or even the massive new video board casting shadows over the north end of Carter-Finley Stadium. The true transformation lies in the ACC’s decision to eliminate divisions, creating a football standings free-for-all. This new setup opens up pathways to the championship game in Charlotte that were previously elusive for teams in the Atlantic Division. Now, securing the second spot in the standings holds greater significance.
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Disregard, for a moment, the fact that N.C. State has only come second to Clemson once during Dave Doeren’s tenure – in 2017, along with a second-place finish trailing Wake Forest in 2021. Let’s not allow facts to hinder us. This aspiration serves as a guiding force, maintaining the momentum. Everyone recognizes that Clemson stood as the dominant force, especially in the Atlantic Division, which is a major reason why N.C. State, Louisville/Maryland (as a combination), and Syracuse remain the sole schools never to have graced the ACC title game. Initially, it was Florida State, succeeded by Clemson, but the Atlantic always featured a formidable hurdle to overcome.
The Wolfpack had some victories against the Seminoles in the early years, yet a devastating defeat at the hands of Maryland in 2010 dashed N.C. State’s prime chance at a division title during that era. However, the landscape has changed; clinching the second position now holds weight, nearly equivalent to claiming the regular-season title. And for not only N.C. State but all teams, this race is wide open – with the absence of Notre Dame to complicate matters, unlike their involvement in the ACC during the COVID-impacted 2020 season, which seemed more of a fleeting alliance.
The Notre Dame contingent, true to form, embraces ACC membership when convenient or when a vote is at stake. For the longest time, a loss to Clemson – N.C. State boasts a measly 1-8 record against the Tigers under Doeren’s guidance – usually spelled doom for the Wolfpack’s season, year after year. Yet now, a viable second opportunity exists. The Wolfpack, with their revamped offensive strategy and fortified defensive culture, is a popular dark horse candidate to emerge near the apex of the ACC. This proposition gains traction, particularly if one assumes that Florida State and Miami will inevitably stumble over their own shoelaces, as history often illustrates.
North Carolina, too, garners attention, flaunting a Heisman Trophy contender at quarterback and a defense that presumably can’t sink lower than its performance the prior year. A memory from a year ago recalls a speculative notion that N.C. State and North Carolina could potentially collide in two consecutive matches – the season-ending showdown in Chapel Hill, which indeed materialized as an epic double-overtime spectacle, and subsequently, the ACC championship in Charlotte. Half of that prediction rang true: N.C. The state emerged victorious in the Chapel Hill clash but ultimately lost the larger battle. With a 4-4 record, the Wolfpack remained on the sidelines while the 6-2 Tar Heels clinched the Coastal division, circumventing matchups against Clemson or Florida State. Revisit these musings.
To view the schedules of each NFL team, please click on the link.
This year, the rematch in Raleigh might very well determine a “win-and-in” scenario for Charlotte’s contention. If N.C. State navigates the initial two weeks – commencing with a deceptively challenging opener against Connecticut on Thursday, followed by the Irish, who carry a 28-game ACC winning streak at Carter-Finley Stadium – the path becomes notably smoother. Encounters against Clemson, Louisville, Miami, and North Carolina unfold on home turf, and two of the Wolfpack’s ACC away games are against struggling teams Virginia and Virginia Tech.
While Duke poses a challenge, the November 11 clash against Wake Forest stands as the most significant obstacle, yet hardly an insurmountable one. Confidence is warranted that the Wolfpack could potentially be 6-1 or even 5-2 heading into the pivotal Carolina game, with a victory possibly propelling N.C. State to the summit. The opportunity lies fully open for the Wolfpack in a manner unprecedented since the ACC’s adoption of the two-division structure in 2005. This time, second place comes with a prize.
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