For the second time in three years, NC State football's ACC opener is at Florida State.
FSU is 2-2 on the year, including 1-1 in the ACC, while NC State is 3-1. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. on the ACC Network, and the Seminoles are a touchdown favorite over the Wolfpack.
NC State has won two in a row over Florida State. Can it make it three in a row? The Wolfpacker staff offer their predictions.
Matt Carter
When I was a freshman at NC State, the first Saturday home game of the year was the second game of the young season against No. 2 Florida State. You have to remember in those days, FSU football was the equivalent to what we’re seeing from Clemson today — dominant, and perhaps should be spelled with a capital ‘D’ for emphasis.
The only time it lost was seemingly in some high profile bowl game, to a Steve Spurrier-coached Florida powerhouse or to Miami on a wide right field-goal kick. Between 1987-2000, FSU lost a grand total of 19 times (13 of them to either Florida, Miami or a bowl game) and won at least 10 games every year.
But on this weird Saturday, one of those 19 losses came to NC State. FSU’s first play was a beautiful 74-yard play-action pass from quarterback Chris Weinke to receiver Peter Warrick. Twenty seconds into the game it was 7-0 Noles. The third play was almost identical and to Laveranues Coles to the NCSU 11-yard line.
And then a funny thing happened on the way to what was supposed to be another Florida State blowout. Weinke threw the first of six interceptions, and truth be told he was lucky he didn’t have a few more.
On the other side of the ball, a receiver named Torry Holt, who had five touchdown receptions against FSU the year before, proved to Florida State that the reason they couldn’t cover him was because he was simply too good. He had a long punt return and a long receiving score to spark the offense in a 24-7 stunner over the second-ranked team.
To bookend my college experience at NC State, a sophomore quarterback named Philip Rivers went to Tallahassee in 2001 for FSU’s homecoming. Two things at this point Florida State did not do: lose a homecoming game and lose at home to an ACC team.
Until then. Rivers and NC State prevailed 34-28.
I take this stroll down memory lane for two reasons. First to show anything can happen when NC State plays Florida State. The Pack was not the first in the ACC to beat FSU (Virginia did it the year before on a goal-line stand), but it was the first to thoroughly win over the Seminoles. It was the first team to win in Tallahassee, and the first team to win consecutive games when Rivers and NCSU knocked off FSU 17-7 in Raleigh.
Second is to have some positive thoughts while remembering this is a challenging assignment. NC State and Florida State are searching for answers, but to different questions. FSU is trying to figure out if it can put together a four-quarter game. NC State is trying to figure out who it is, what it is working with and how to put those pieces together.
It reminds me of the 2008 Wolfpack team when Russell Wilson was a redshirt freshman quarterback. It labored through a 2-4 start, but by the end of October in close losses to FSU at home and Maryland on the road it was starting to figure things out. Then it did not lose in four November games, knocking off a ranked Wake Forest team, trouncing UNC on the road (41-10) and stunning Miami at home to get a bowl bid.
I think Saturday will be one of those tough learning lessons on the way to figuring itself out, and have FSU winning 34-24.
Previous predictions
Week 1 vs. ECU — Prediction: 34-17 NC State; Actual: 34-6 NC State
Week 2 vs. WCU — Prediction: 51-10 NC State; Actual: 41-0 NC State
Week 3 at WVU — Prediction: 20-14 NC State; Actual: 44-27 West Virginia
Week 4 vs. Ball State — Prediction: 38-27 NC State; Actual 34-23 NC State
Jacey Zembal
As Matt alluded to, Florida State was one of the standard bearers of college football.
When I think of the Seminoles stars from the past, names like cornerbacks Deion Sanders and Terrell Buckley, linebacker Derrick Brooks, quarterback Charlie Ward, running back Warrick Dunn, wide receiver Peter Warrick and even kicker Sebastian Janikowski come to mind.
I'm not sure Florida State has anyone on this year's team that will challenge to be a FSU great one day. Running back Cam Akers, wide receiver Tamorrion Terry and defensive tackle Marvin Wilson will also go on to play in the NFL. Some of the defensive backs were highly rated coming out of high school.
If FSU quarterback James Blackman can't play after getting knocked out early in the third quarter last week against Louisville, that's another tough sign for the Seminoles. He's started twice against NC State, but would be replaced by Wisconsin graduate transfer Alex Hornibrook, who is a good backup quarterback and plenty experienced.
I was thinking NC State would win going into the season, but there are clearly some passing games concerns. I also don't like the 7:30 p.m. start time. I think it would have been easier if the game had started at noon or even 3:30 p.m. Games are more festive at night time, whether that's due to more alcohol involved or the students having an excuse to have fun with some after-game parties in the mix. That's no different than when NC State plays under the lights.
I predict a close game with the home atmosphere helping Florida State win 27-24.
Previous predictions
Week 1 vs. ECU — Prediction: 38-17 NC State; Actual: 34-6 NC State
Week 2 vs. WCU — Prediction: 48-3 NC State; Actual: 41-0 NC State
Week 3 at WVU — Prediction: 27-10 NC State; Actual: 44-27 West Virginia
Week 4 vs. Ball State — Prediction: 27-17 NC State; Actual 34-23 NC State
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