During a recent edition of The ESPN College Football Podcast, an ESPN writer discussed whether NC State is the team to beat in the ACC next season.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg believes the Wolfpack “might be” the favorite to win the conference in 2022 coming off of last season, when they finished 9-3 (6-2 ACC), came in second in the Atlantic Division behind Wake Forest and ahead of third-place Clemson (10-3, 6-2), and slotted in at No. 20 in the final AP Top 25 Poll and No. 19 in the final Coaches Poll.
“In some ways, they’re a safer pick than Clemson because Clemson had so much change after last year on the staff coming off of a down season for them, a year when they didn’t win the ACC and didn’t enter the College Football Playoff,” Rittenberg said.
“NC State’s been one of those right-on-the-cusp programs under Dave Doeren, who now has been there almost a decade. It’s crazy to think about that. But you look at four of the last five years, they’ve won eight or more games, they just haven’t broken through. They finished in the top 25 twice, including a top-20 finish last year, and may have been even higher if they were able to play that Holiday Bowl, which they were obviously very upset with UCLA about that cancellation and how everything went down. That would’ve been their chance for a 10th victory.”
Rittenberg added that “if there’s ever a chance for NC State to break through, it’s this year” — if the Wolfpack can beat the teams they’re expected to beat.
“Dave always has had a really good eye for talent. … That’s never been the issue for them,” Rittenberg said. “It’s been consistently winning the big games and avoiding some losses like even last year — losing to Mississippi State was a loss that I was like wow, that felt familiar. So, if they can take that out of their system and truly break through with a talented quarterback (Devin Leary), continuity on their staff, and enough talent returning, this could be their year.”
Rittenberg thinks NC State could possibly be on the verge of a breakthrough season in Doeren’s 10th year at the helm, similar to the type of seasons 2021 ACC Atlantic champion Wake Forest (11-3, 7-1 ACC) and 2021 ACC Champion Pittsburgh (11-3, 7-1) had last year.
“The environment at NC State, a big-time football environment. That is, in many ways, more of a football school than a basketball school,” Rittenberg said. “And so when they get it going, they could really be an emerging power in the ACC now that they have their coaching staff aligned, now that they’re stringing together some good seasons. But it won’t happen unless they have that breakthrough, like Pitt had, like Wake Forest had last year. NC State’s just been unable to deliver that, and we’ll see if they can do that this year.”
Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.
Order your Nick’s barware and do your part to help. #SaveNicks
