Two ACC powerhouses clash on Saturday night when the 22nd-ranked N.C. State Wolfpack take on the 21st-ranked Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
#22 N.C. State Wolfpack (6-2) vs. #21 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (6-2)
How to Watch:
- Date: Saturday, November 5th
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- Channel: ACC Network
Betting Stats:
- Spread: WAKE -4.5
- Over/Under: 54.5 points
Matchup:
N.C. State’s biggest matchup of the season is on the horizon, with inner-state rival Wake Forest headed into Raleigh, North Carolina this weekend for a top-25 showdown. At the beginning of the year, many expected this game to have far greater implications for ACC standings. With both programs having lost to Clemson and another ACC Atlantic opponent, all that’s left to play for is bowl placement and pride.
Historically, this pairing of football teams produces some of the most exciting spectacles of any given year. Splitting the last two matchups 1-1, N.C. State and Wake Forest have an aggregate score of 87-87 over the last two seasons — where each team has secured a 45-42 victory. In their current state, these programs are nearly dead-even on paper. The Pack boasts one of the toughest defenses in college football. Inversely, the Demon Deacons have been grabbing national headlines with their methodic, slow-mesh offense that’s gashed opposing pass defenses all season long.
Both teams are coming off matchups that left fans scratching their heads. N.C. State’s 22-21 comeback victory over Virginia Tech introduced the Pack’s new marquee signal caller to the world — true freshman quarterback MJ Morris. Going down 21-3 late in the third quarter, Morris stepped in to prevent the Wolfpack from suffering what would have been its most embarrassing loss in years. Wake Forest, however, couldn’t escape that fate.
It looked like just another Saturday for the Demon Deacons, leading Louisville 14-13 at halftime in last weekend’s matchup — poised to put a struggling Cardinals team away in the second half. What followed was anything but. Wake Forest was outscored 35-0 in the third quarter, and a lone fourth-quarter touchdown from the black-and-gold wouldn’t be enough to mitigate the damage that had already been done.
In what will go down as one of Sam Hartman’s worst quarterback outings in his time at Wake Forest, things completely fell apart for head coach Dave Clawson’s unit. N.C. State can be optimistic about how volatile the Demon Deacons offense was last week, but it certainly shouldn’t expect Hartman to replicate that performance.
Many would argue that UNC-Chapel Hill is N.C. State’s greatest rival, but Wake Forest fits the bill much better than the Tar Heels. The Wolfpack may hold a 67-42-6 advantage over the Demon Deacons in the all-time record between the two, but splitting the last 10 matchups 5-5 — N.C. State has had its hands full trying to establish a hierarchy in the ACC Atlantic. In the final season before the ACC moves past a division format, both teams have an opportunity to take one final Atlantic win to the bank.
Players to Know:
MJ Morris – N.C. State, QB
2022 stats: 303 yards, three touchdowns, 64.7% completion percentage
Taking over for Jack Chambers in the second half of N.C. State’s game against Virginia Tech, Morris delivered a performance of the ages. Throwing for 265 yards and three touchdowns on 69% completion, the true freshman looked to be every bit of N.C. State’s future at the position. If he can continue at last week’s rate, conversations over whether to run with him or Devin Leary after he returns from injury, will need to be had.
Drake Thomas – N.C. State, LB
2022 stats: 58 total tackles, 5.5 TFLs, one sack, three passes defended
Pacing a nationally-recognized linebacking unit, Drake Thomas continues to be N.C. State’s biggest force on defense. Whether he’s stopping the run, attacking the quarterback or defending the pass, Thomas is never out of his comfort zone. He’ll be called on a lot to plug the middle against Wake Forest’s slow-mesh offense, a challenge he’s certainly up for.
Sam Hartman – Wake Forest, QB
2022 stats: 2,026 yards, 23 touchdowns, six interceptions, 63.2% completion percentage
The Hartman for Heisman conversation simmered down as quickly as it started, with the fifth-year quarterback putting up a dud against Louisville last week. Regardless of his chances to win an award for being the best player in the country, Hartman is a certified stud at the position for the Demon Deacons. Offenses prioritizing the pass have dominated N.C. State’s defense all season long and with Hartman’s weapons on the outside, it could be much of the same for the Pack.
A.T. Perry – Wake Forest, WR
2022 stats: 552 yards, 15.8 yards per reception, five touchdowns
Standing at 6-foot-5-inches, 205 pounds — A.T. Perry is an absolute monster down the field. Employing a similar style at wide receiver to that of Syracuse’s Oronde Gadsden II, who tore N.C. State up for 141 yards and two touchdowns on eight receptions, Perry is in for a field day against Wolfpack defensive backs that struggled to contain a lackluster Virginia Tech skill-position group last week.
Key Injuries:
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Devin Leary: N.C. State, QB: Shoulder Injury, out
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Demie Sumo-Karngbaye: N.C. State, RB: Undisclosed injury, questionable Saturday
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Savion Jackson: N.C. State, DE: Undisclosed injury, questionable Saturday
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