NC State Wolfpack football fans who were at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh on Oct. 5, 2017, a Thursday night when a 4-1 Wolfpack team welcomed a ranked Louisville squad quarterbacked by the Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson for a prime time game on ESPN.

When former NC State linebacker Germaine Pratt recorded a pick six to close out a 39-25 victory over the Cardinals, Carter-Finley Stadium was shaking with electricity.

Head coach Dave Doeren would love to have a similar setup this Friday when No. 11 Miami comes to Raleigh to play a 4-2 Wolfpack squad on a primetime ESPN broadcast.

Alas, 2020 had other plans, and a small, limited attendance only will be there to see the contest.

“Obviously there’s nothing like a full stadium at nighttime at the Carter-Finley,” sophomore defensive lineman Savion Jackson said. “Nothing beats a full stadium.”

That said, Jackson and his teammates are psyched for this opportunity coming out of the bye week.

“It feels great,” Jackson stated. “I’m ready to play. It’s going to be fun. Also, it’s going to be fun to be the only game on, so all eyes are on us.”

“It means a lot to us. It feels great playing on Friday night,” sophomore safety Jakeen Harris added. “I can’t wait to play Friday.”

There’s the added dynamic of playing a rare college football game on Friday, a night usually reserved for the high schools, although there is no prep football this fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Doeren noted earlier this week that every college coach would tell you that they believe Fridays are for the high school and Saturdays for colleges.

“It’s going to feel like a high school game,” Harris said, noting the lack of a capacity crowd. “A Friday night high school game.”

Crowd or not, the enthusiasm has not been diminished within the team.

“I was just thinking back on this game, thinking about on how big of a game it’s going to be,” Harris stated.

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