Wolfpack football at the bye: The positives
NC State has reached the bye week with a perfect 5-0 record, including winning its first two ACC games while handing both Virginia and Boston College their only respective conference losses thus far this season.
Here are five reasons, among numerous others, why NC State is undefeated and ranked No. 15 in the coaches' poll.
Dominant Passing Attack
The strength of NC State is its ability to throw the football with a potential NFL quarterback, its deepest receiving corps in recent memory and an offensive line that is perhaps underrated.
Sixth-year senior quarterback Ryan Finley is completing 69.5 percent of his passes for 1,621 yards in five games with 10 touchdown tosses compared to just three interceptions. His season grade of 92.5 by Pro Football Focus is fifth most in college football by those who have attempted at least 100 passes. Among qualified passers, Finley is 10th nationally in completion percentage and within striking distance of the school record for a single season set by Philip Rivers (72.1 percent in 2003).
NC State is averaging 335.4 yards passing per game, sixth most at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level and tops in the ACC by 63.4 yards over Virginia Tech.
Finley has four different receivers with a 100-yard receiving game in their career, including three who have had one this season. A fifth, sophomore Emeka Emezie, had 90 yards receiving in the first half against Virginia but did not eclipse 100.
The offensive line deserves its kudos too. The Pack has allowed just two sacks in five games, tied for second fewest in the country with Army’s triple option attack behind Buffalo (one in seven games). In sacks per game, NCSU is third with 0.40 behind Buffalo (0.14) and Army (0.33). Should be noted that Army has passed the ball 58 times in six games.
NC State did not allow a sack to a Boston College defense that is second nationally with 25 sacks through seven contests.
Efficient Offense
At first glance, NC State’s scoring offense of 33.0 points per game is considered almost middle of the pack, ranking 45th nationally in FBS. But that stat alone does not paint a full picture.
For one, NC State’s entire scoring has practically come from its offense, with just one defensive touchdown through five games. The other is that NC State does not typically play the high-possession game as other high-scoring offenses.
The Fremeau Efficiency Index (FEI) measures points per drive, removing what it calls “garbage possessions” and also limiting it to games against fellow FBS teams. NC State ranked 12th heading into last weekend nationally and tops in the ACC in offensive points per drive (3.26 points), and its net points scored per drive of 2.04 was fifth best.
Third down prowess (more on that later) is a big role in that. NC State is also 11th nationally in time of possession per game (33:26.80) and best in the ACC over perennial category leader Georgia Tech.
Third Down Magic
This is most notable on offense, where NC State has converted 60.87 percent of its third downs (42 of 69), tops at the FBS level by more than four percentage points over Alabama (56.79 percent). The caveat to that stat though is that NC State has only played two defenses ranked in the top half of the FBS level in that category, one of which was Marshall who is 64th out of 130 teams.
That said, NC State was 10 of 15 on third downs against Boston College, which ranks 53rd in allowing third down conversions at 36.61 percent. If you remove the NC State game from its profile, BC has held opponents to just 31.90 percent, which would rank 25th.
But the third down successes also applies to NC State’s defense. The Pack has allowed teams to convert on 22 of 66 third downs, or 33.3 percent. That is tied for 31st best at the FBS level and third in the ACC behind Syracuse and Clemson. NC State held Virginia, which is 16th best on third downs nationally and second in the ACC, to just 4 of 13.
Stiff Red Zone Defense
One major reason why NC State’s defense has probably surprised many this season is that it has bowed up in the red zone. NC State is tied for fourth nationally in allowing teams to score at a 66.67 percent clip when reaching the red zone. Opponents are just 10 of 15 scoring in the red zone against NC State.
NC State’s defense was solid in this category a year ago, ranking 34th nationally at 79.55 percent, but it has taken it to a new level this fall thus far.
A further dive into the numbers reveal that the Pack has allowed only five touchdowns in those 15 red zone drives. That is the third best percentage in college football behind Auburn (26.32 percent) and Mississippi State (28.57 percent).
Keeping Opposing Big Plays To A Minimum
In five games, NC State has allowed opponents 60 plays of at least 10 yards, 10th fewest at the FBS level. The number is somewhat skewed by the fact that NC State has played one or two fewer games than most other teams, but overall the Pack is allowing an average of 12.0 a game, which would rank in the top 25 nationally.
NC State gave up a long 82-yard touchdown pass to Marshall, but that has been the only play of at least 50 yards allowed by the defense thus far. Only five teams at the FBS level have not allowed any. Only Miami in the ACC has also given up just one 50-yard plus play this year.
A season ago, NC State allowed 10 plays of at least 50 yards, tied for 88th at the FBS level. It also gave up 180 plays of at least 10 yards in 13 games (an average of 13.8 per game).
That said, NC State has faced only one explosive offense in Boston College, and the upcoming game at Clemson features a Clemson offense that has 12 50-plus yard plays this season, tops in college football and more than double the five that Boston College has had.
——
• Talk about it inside The Wolves' Den
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolfpacker
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolfpacker
• Like us on Facebook