Published Jan 8, 2023
Look back at NC State's 2022 opponents
Jacey Zembal  •  TheWolfpackCentral
Writer
Twitter
@NCStateRivals

NC State ended up playing 10 teams that were bowl eligible in the 2022 season.

The Wolfpack finished 8-5 overall and 4-4 in the ACC against the tough slate.

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East Carolina Pirates

2022 record: 8-5 overall, 4-4 AAC

Game vs. NC State: The Wolfpack won 21-20 on Sept. 3 in Greenville, N.C.

Bowl game: Defeated Coastal Carolina 53-29 in TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl

Season summary: The Pirates proved it could physically go toe-to-toe with NC State, but missed a fourth quarter extra point that would have tied the game 21-21 with 2:58 left in the fourth quarter. Then kicker Owen Daffer missed a 42-yard field goal with four seconds left.

ECU scored back-to-back victories against Central Florida and at BYU to become bowl eligible by the end of October.

Former Wolfpack recruiting target Holton Ahlers threw for 3,708 yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions and he rushed for six scores in his senior year. Sophomore running back Keaton Mitchell rushed for 1,452 yards and 14 scores, and two wide receivers topped 1,000 yards. Toledo senior transfer Isaiah Winstead caught 88 passes for 1,085 yards and six touchdowns, and junior C.J. Johnson snagged 67 passes for 1,016 yards and 10 scores.

Junior safety Julius Wood had a team-high 87 tackles, two interceptions — one of which he returned for a score — and two forced fumbles.

Charleston Southern Buccaneers

2022 record: 2-8 overall, 2-3 Big South

Game vs. NC State: The Wolfpack won 55-3 on Sept. 10 at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Bowl game: None.

Season summary: Charleston Southern posted wins over Bryant and Robert Morris, but had a tough season. The Buccaneers fired coach Autry Denson and hired Albany State coach Gabe Giardina following the season.

Four different quarterback played for the Buccaneers, and redshirt freshman wide receiver Seth Anderson caught a team-high 42 passes for 612 yards and seven touchdowns, and transferred to Iowa. Sophomore running backs JD Moore rushed 86 times for 527 yards and six scores.

Senior linebacker Garrett Sayegh had a team-high 101 tackles, senior defensive end Anton Williams added six sacks and freshman cornerback Jamel Johnson had four interceptions.

Texas Tech Red Raiders

2022 record: 8-5 overall, 5-4 Big 12

Game vs. NC State: The Wolfpack won 27-14 on Sept. 17 at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Bowl game: Defeated Ole Miss 42-25 in the TaxAct Texas Bowl.

Season summary: Texas Tech had a rough patch losing five of seven games, with NC State at the start of the skid.

The Red Raiders then found its footing when senior quarterback Tyler Shough got healthy and reeled off wins over Kansas, at Iowa State, vs. Oklahoma and Ole Miss in the bowl game.

Texas Tech used three different quarterbacks during the season, with Donovan Smith leading the way with 1,505 passing yards. He transferred to Houston following the season.

Junior running back Tahj Brooks rushed 147 times for 691 yards and seven touchdowns, and freshman wide receiver Jerand Bradley snagged 51 passes for 744 yards and six touchdowns. Senior kicker Trey Wolff made 21-of-25 field goals with a long of 51.

Senior linebacker Krishon Merriweather had a team-high 112 tackles and two sacks, and top NFL Draft candidate senior defensive end Tyree Wilson added 61 tackles and seven sacks. Former NC State cornerback Malik Dunlap, a senior, added 33 tackles, one interception and 12 passes defended.

Connecticut Huskies

2022 record: 6-7 overall.

Game vs. NC State: The Wolfpack won 41-10 on Sept. 24 at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Bowl game: Lost 28-14 vs. Marshall in the Myrtle Beach Bowl.

Season summary: The Huskies dropped four of their first five games, had some key injuries and it looked like it could be a lost season.

UConn turned it around and won five of six contests to become bowl eligible, including wins over 10-4 Fresno State and Boston College. The sixth victory came against Liberty 36-33 on Nov. 12.

Freshman quarterback Zion Turner threw for 1,407 yards, nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Freshman running Victor Rosa became the top rusher after the position got hit hard by injuries, and had 140 carries for 636 yards and 11 scores.

Sophomore wide receiver Aaron Turner led the way with 57 catches for 527 yards and three scores, and sophomore kicker Noe Ruelas went 12 of 16 on field goals with a long of 54.

Junior tackling machine Jackson Mitchell at linebacker led the defense with 140 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Senior defensive back Tre Wortham added four interceptions and 39 tackles.

Clemson Tigers

2022 record: 11-3 overall, 8-0 ACC

Game vs. NC State: The Wolfpack lost 30-20 on Oct. 1 at Clemson.

Bowl game: Clemson lost 31-14 to Tennessee in the Capital One Orange Bowl.

Season summary: Clemson topped North Carolina 39-10 in the ACC Championship game, but the season ended a little on a sour note with a 31-30 loss vs. South Carolina on Nov. 26, and then the bowl game defeat against Tennessee.

Clemson started the season with junior quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, but ended the season with freshman Cade Klubnik. Uiagalelei passed for 2,521 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions, and rushed for 545 yards and seven scores. He has since transferred to Oregon State.

Sophomore running back Will Shipley rushed 210 times for 1,182 yards and 15 touchdowns, and freshman wide receiver Antonio Williams had 56 catches for 604 yards and four scores.

Sophomore linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. led the team with 89 tackles, 6.5 sacks and two interceptions, one of which he returned for a score. Sophomore outside linebacker Barrett Carter added 73 tackles, 5.5 sacks and two interceptions.

Florida State Seminoles

2022 record: 10-3 overall, 5-3 ACC

Game vs. NC State: The Wolfpack won 19-17 on Oct. 8 at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Bowl game: Florida State topped Oklahoma 35-32 in the Cheez-It Bowl.

Season summary: Florida State closed out the season with six straight victories, including victories over rivals Miami (Fla.) and Florida.

FSU went through a three-game skid with losses vs. Wake Forest, at NC State and vs. then No. 4-ranked Clemson to start October.

Florida State also topped LSU 24-23 on Sept. 4, which proved to be a special victory. The Tigers finished 10-4.

Junior quarterback Jordan Travis stayed healthy and threw for 3,214 yards, 24 touchdowns and five interceptions, plus rushed for 417 yards and seven scores.

Oregon sophomore running back transfer Trey Benson was a minor factor when he played NC State. He came alive down the stretch with four games out of five with at least 111 rushing yards. He had 18 carries for 163 yards in the 38-3 win over Syracuse. Oklahoma did hold him in check in the bowl game, limiting him to 58 all-purpose yards.

Sophomore wide receiver Johnny Wilson, a Arizona State transfer, caught 43 passes for 897 yards and five touchdowns.

Junior safety Jammie Robinson led the defense with 99 tackles and an interception, and has entered the NFL Draft. Sophomore defensive end Jared Verse, an Albany transfer, contributed 47 tackles and nine sacks, and announced he’ll be returning to the Seminoles.

Syracuse Orange

2022 record: 7-6 overall and 4-4 ACC

Game vs. NC State: The Wolfpack lost on the road 24-9 on Oct. 15.

Bowl game: The Orange lost 28-20 to Minnesota in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl.

Season summary: Syracuse ripped off six straight wins to start the season, including the win over NC State, which was the first game quarterback Devin Leary missed due to injury.

The schedule got harder and the Orange lost five straight, before winning at Boston College to close out the season.

New NC State offensive coordinator Robert Anae was the SU offensive coordinator. Junior quarterback went 205-of-317 passing for 2,640 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed 149 times for 453 yards and nine scores.

Sophomore running back Sean Tucker rushed 206 times for 1,060 yards and 11 scores, plus caught 36 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns. He has elected to enter the NFL Draft. Sophomore Oronde Gadsden II became a matchup problem at 6-5 and 216 pounds, and he caught 61 passes for 969 yards and six touchdowns.

Sophomore linebacker Marlowe Wax led the defense with 88 tackles and 4.5 sacks, and junior defensive lineman Caleb Okechukwu added 48 tackles and seven sacks.

Senior kicker kicker Andre Szmyt went 20-of-26 on field goals with a long of 54.

Virginia Tech Hokies

2022 record: 3-8 overall, 1-6 ACC

Game vs. NC State: The Wolfpack won 22-21 on Oct. 27 at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Bowl game: None.

Season summary: The Hokies had a tough season under first-year coach Brent Pry.

The lone wins came against Boston College, Wofford and at Liberty. Marshall junior transfer Grant Wells threw for 2,171 yards, nine touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Junior running back Keshawn King rushed 74 times for 443 yards and three touchdowns, and he caught 20 receptions for 137 yards and a score. Senior wide receiver Kaleb Smith caught 37 passes for 674 yards and three touchdowns, and he is transferring to Notre Dame.

Senior linebacker Dax Hollifield finished his Hokies career, getting 82 tackles and two sacks this season. Senior defensive lineman TyJuan Garbutt added 31 tackles and 6.5 sacks.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

2022 record: 8-5 overall, 3-5 ACC

Game vs. NC State: The Wolfpack won 30-21 on Nov. 5 at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Bowl game: Wake Forest defeated Missouri 27-17 in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl.

Season summary: Wake Forest won six of its first seven games and suffered a tough moral victory with a double-overtime loss against Clemson on Sept. 24.

Louisville’s defense forced an astonishing eight turnovers and eight sacks in a 48-21 win Oct. 29. NC State followed the next week, and Wake Forest struggled to handle the Wolfpack’s blitzing defense and freshman quarterback MJ Morris came alive.

Wake Forest also lost to North Carolina and Duke by a combined five points.

Senior quarterback Sam Hartman capped his five-year WFU career with 3,701 passing yards, 38 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He will spend his sixth year of college at Notre Dame.

Sophomore running back Justice Ellison led the Demon Deacons with 170 carries for 707 yards and six carries. Junior wide receiver A.T. Perry topped 1,000 yards for the second straight year. He snagged 81 catches for 1,096 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Senior linebacker Ryan Smenda led WFU with 117 tackles on defense.

Boston College Eagles

2022 record: 3-9 overall, 2-6 ACC

Game vs. NC State: The Wolfpack lost 21-20 on Nov. 12 at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Bowl game: None.

Season summary: The Eagles battled through injuries at quarterback and offensive line, and their three wins were against Maine, Louisville and NC State.

Senior quarterback Phil Jurkovec played in eight games, but his season came to a close Oct. 29, and he has since transferred to Pittsburgh. Redshirt freshman Emmett Morehead took over for November, and he went 115-of-192 passing for 1,254 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions.

The Eagles struggled running the football, with junior Pat Garwo III tallying 132 carries for 403 yards and three touchdowns, plus 29 catches for 241 yards.

Senior wide receiver Zay Flowers had an impressive season, with 78 catches for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns. He topped 100 yards in five games.

Senior linebacker Vinny DePalma had a team-high 87 tackles and a sack, and sophomore defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku added 60 tackles, 7.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.

Louisville Cardinals

2022 record: 8-5 overall, 4-4 ACC

Game vs. NC State: The Wolfpack lost 25-10 on Nov. 19 at Louisville.

Bowl game: Louisville defeated Cincinnati 24-7 in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl.

Season summary: The Cardinals los three of the first five games, and grumblings started about coach Scott Satterfield’s job status. Louisville then ripped off five of six wins, with the lone loss at Clemson.

Kentucky ended up winning the rivalry game 26-13 on Nov. 26, and Satterfield elected to take the Cincinnati job.

Senior quarterback Malik Cunningham battled injuries this season. He threw for 1,568 yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions, and he rushed 114 times for 565 yards and 12 scores.

Sophomore speedster Jawhar Jordan emerged down the stretch, including the NC State win, and rushed 142 times for 815 yards and four scores. Central Arkansas senior wide receiver transfer Tyler Hudson finished with 69 catches for 1,034 yards and two scores.

Sixth-year senior Ole Miss transfer Momo Sanogo led the defense with 89 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Senior outside linebacker Yasir Abdullah provided the pass rush with 63 tackles, 9.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and two interceptions.

Junior kicker James Turner went 20-of-22 on field goals with a long of 48.

North Carolina Tar Heels

2022 record: 9-5 overall, 6-2 ACC

Game vs. NC State: The Wolfpack won 30-27 in double overtime Nov. 25 at Keenan Stadium.

Bowl game: North Carolina lost 28-27 to Oregon in the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl.

Season summary: UNC had the gift of having each game have fourth quarterback drama, winning nine of the first 10 contests. The Tar Heels then lost four straight at the end of the season.

The emergence of redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Maye drastically changed preseason expectations. He went 342-of-517 passing for 4,321 yards, 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also led UNC with 184 carries for 698 yards and seven scores.

Junior Josh Downs battled some injuries, but led UNC with 94 catches for 1,029 yards and 11 touchdowns, and he’s entered the NFL Draft. Sophomore Elijah Green was the best of the running backs with 131 carries for 558 yards and eight touchdowns.

Junior linebacker Cedric Gray was a tackling machine with 144 stops, three forced fumbles, two interceptions and a sack. Sophomore linebacker Power Echols added 103 tackles, two sacks and an interception.

Maryland Terrapins

2022 record: 8-5 overall, 4-5 Big Ten

Game vs. NC State: NC State lost 16-12 to Maryland in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Dec. 30.

Season summary: Maryland jumped out to a 6-2 start, but then lost three straight at Wisconsin, at Penn State and vs. Ohio State.

The wins over NC State, Buffalo and SMU were the three victories against teams that reached bowl games.

Junior quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa went 262-of-391 passing for 3,008 yards, 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He has thrown for 7,979 passing yards and 52 scores in his college career.

Freshman running back Roman Hemby emerged this season with 188 carries for 989 yards and 10 touchdowns, and he caught 33 passes for 298 yards and a score. Senior wide receiver Jeshaun Jones added 44 catches for 557 yards and four scores.

Junior safety Beau Brade had a team-high 85 tackles and two interceptions, and freshman linebacker Jaishawn Barham is going to be a future star, and had 59 tackles and four sacks.

Eastern Michigan senior kicking transfer Chad Ryland went 19-of-23 on field goals with a long of 53.

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