In sports, it’s bad form to look too far ahead. Teams generally take it one week at a time so as not to overlook the opponent in front of them.
Fortunately for most of us, we don’t live by those same rules.
Digging Itself Out
NC State is in a hole, getting embarrassed by Virginia in Week 0, but that doesn’t mean they have to live there forever.
Let’s look at how NC State’s next three opponents fared this weekend, and we’ll size up the Wolfpack’s chances against those teams.
Richmond
The Spiders escaped D.C. with a 28- 21 victory over Howard. Their quarterback, Ashten Snelsire, threw for 261 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no interceptions.
The Spiders struggled on the ground. The Bison defense limited the Spiders’ rushing attack to only 39 net yards.
Richmond travels to Raleigh this weekend, where this upcoming game marks the 20th time the Spiders and Wolfpack have met.
NC State maintains a comfortable lead over Richmond, having won 18 of 20 games.
Vanderbilt
The Commodores mustered out the 28 to 9 victory over Austin Peay. Quarterback Blaze Berklowitz stepped in after the program saw the departure of its Heisman runner-up, Diego Pavia.
Berklowitz threw for 149 yards, rushed for 45 yards, and scored once with his legs.
Vanderbilt’s defense got into the Governors’ backfield with ease. They tallied 5 sacks and 5 tackles for loss.
The Commodores host FCS opponent Delaware in Week 2.
Appalachian State
The Mountaineers breezed to a 55 to 3 victory over Maine. Appalachian State quarterback Malachi Singleton completed 22 of his 24 attempts for 291 yards and 3 touchdowns.
As a team, the Mountaineers rushed for 299 yards, and four different ball carriers reached the end zone.
App State travels to Greenville to face NC State’s little brother, East Carolina, in Week 2.
The Wolfpack and Mountaineers have met six previous times, with NC State holding a 6-0 lead in the series.
Andre Cherry’s Thoughts
The Wolfpack are in a tough spot, but I think they will respond with a win over Richmond. I also think the Wolfpack will be able to handle Appalachian State with ease.
NC State travels to Vanderbilt in Week 3. The Wolfpack are 1-2 all-time against the Commodores and have a losing record against SEC opponents.
I’m currently undecided about this upcoming matchup. If Bailey can get his game back in rhythm against Richmond, I think the Wolfpack can go 3-1 during this stretch before welcoming Louisville to Raleigh on October 3rd.
But you know, I shouldn’t get too far ahead of myself.
NC State hosts Richmond in Week 2.
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