NC State’s win against Louisville showcased that it’s a team that should be taken seriously in the ACC.
State finally rose to the occasion, while a few players stood out from the pack.
CJ Bailey, Quarterback
On Monday, Bailey was recognized as one of the eight Manning Stars of the Week, as announced by the AllState Sugar Bowl.
“CJ played a hell of a football game,” NC State Head Coach Dave Doeren said after the game. “Really accurate downfield throws, and he took care of the football.”
Despite the poor conditions, Bailey threw for a career-high 373 yards and two touchdowns.
Bailey has been a steady presence for State this season. Against Louisville, Bailey sustained long drives, putting the Wolfpack in scoring position on several occasions.
While Bailey has been on the Manning Award preseason watch list in the past, this is the first time that he’s been named a Star of the Week.
It’s a nice honor and signifies a wild turn of events for Bailey, who just a few weeks ago made national news for a very untimely and costly fumble against Vanderbilt.
Now he’s getting recognized for his stellar play against a Louisville team that was highly ranked earlier this season.
NC State can only hope that things continue trending up for its junior quarterback.
Popo Agguire, Linebacker
Agguire earned ACC Linebacker of the Week honors for his performance against the Cardinals.
He had six tackles and 3 crucial fumble recoveries, which is an NC State game record.
His effort set up the Wolfpack offense to score 17 points off those turnovers.
Aguirre is the former Miami transfer turned Wolfpack Captain. His addition to the team has provided an immediate boost to the defense.
Harvey Dyson III, Linebacker
Dysonwas a force on Saturday as he tallied 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, and one of the most impressive forced fumbles ever recorded on film.
Louisville’s Keyjuan Brown was on his way to score a 60-yard rushing touchdown before Dyson tracked him down and stripped the ball from behind.
Dyson single-handedly prevented Louisville from taking the lead at a pivotal moment in the fourth quarter.
Dyson’s hustle play to force the fumble changed the entire outcome in NC State’s favor.
“I thought Harvey Dyson’s play, the pursuit force fumble, was one of the best plays I’ve seen as a coach in my career,” Doeren said.
NC State’s Offensive Line
There’s been some shuffling with the offensive front due to injury early this season, and some players have been asked to fill in on positions they don’t normally play, which is certainly not ideal, nor is it easy.
However, the Wolfpack linemen have rolled with these changes and done a good job protecting Bailey, especially during the Louisville contest.
“[The] offensive line deserves a lot of credit for that win,” Doeren said. “Danny Cruz played his first game at center; Teague [Andersen] moves from center back to tackle. Yousef [Mugharbil] gets injured, and then Trent Mitchell comes in and plays the most he’s played in the football game. Rico [Jackson] moves from one position to the other, and they just keep on doing it.”
Davion Gause, Running Back
Gause saw his role elevated after an apparent leg injury to Duke Scott in the first half. Scott was spotted wearing a walking boot on NC State’s sideline during the second quarter.
“I thought Davion Gause deserves a lot of credit for the way he battled when Duke [Scott] went down,” Doren said. “Played really hard for us. Did some really good things.”
Gause entered the game and provided an all-purpose threat out of the backfield. He led all State ball carriers with 69 yards on 21 carries. Gause also caught 3 passes for 45 yards.
Gause and Bailey linked up on multiple occasions on Saturday, including an exciting two-point reception to Gause in the third quarter.
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