2021 Opponent Preview: No. 22 N.C. State
Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom)
Staff Writer
Another night game, another chance for Boston College to end its seven-year drought without a win over an AP-ranked opponent.
And this time it’s in Alumni Stadium for BC’s Homecoming Weekend.
The Eagles are hosting No. 22 N.C. State, which second-year head coach Jeff Hafley believes is the best team BC has faced this season.
When is BC playing?
Saturday, Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m.
Where is BC playing?
Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
How to watch?
The game will be broadcast on ACC Network.
Series History
BC leads the all-time series, 10-7, but the teams have split their last four meetings. The Eagles ran N.C. State out of Alumni Stadium in 2019 when the “Buffalo Boys”—AJ Dillon and David Bailey—spearheaded a BC rushing attack that piled up 429 yards on the ground against a Wolfpack run defense that came into the midseason matchup ranked atop the ACC. The previous two years, a ranked N.C. State edged BC. In 2018, the Eagles nearly staged a 25-point second half comeback, thanks to a breakout game from Ben Glines and a Mike Palmer blocked punt, however, N.C. State’s Ryan Finley was able to make enough plays to fend off BC. The year before that, Anthony Brown Jr. tore his ACL, and the Wolfpack snapped the Eagles’ three-game ACC win streak with a 17-14 win. Nyheim Hines had the go-ahead score.
N.C. State’s Record: 4-1 (1-0 ACC)
Breaking Down the Wolfpack:
Offense: It all starts up front with first-round NFL prospect Ikem Ekwonu. The 6-foot-4, 320-pound left tackle has earned a 93.8 Pro Football Focus grade through the first five games, and it shows. He hasn’t allowed a sack in 203 snaps. Across the board, N.C. State’s is solid up front. The group is fifth in the ACC in sacks allowed per game (1.8) and has paved the way for a run game that averages 172 yards per game, good for seventh in the conference. Of course, the duo of Zonovan Knight and Ricky Person Jr. makes the big guys in the trenches look even better, considering that they are second and tied for third, respectively, among all ACC running backs in missed tackles forced. They’ve combined for 808 yards and seven rushing scores.
Both are involved in the passing game, too. Wolfpack quarterback Devin Leary has been efficient to say the least. The redshirt sophomore is hitting on 67.4% of his passes, a mark that is 7.4 percentage points higher than his 2020 completion percentage. He’s registered a 12:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio and hasn’t thrown a pick since N.C. State’s Week 2 loss at Mississippi State. Emeka Emezie is his favorite target. Emezie has hauled in 32 catches for 369 yards this year, tops on the team. Devin Carter is a name to know as well. Carter is the Wolfpack’s second-leading receiver. Both Emezie and Carter are 6-foot-3. Thayer Thomas is N.C. State’s slot receiver. He’s gobbled up 23 receptions and three touchdowns this year.
Defense: Like BC, N.C. State is near the bottom of the FBS in sacks. Actually, the Eagles and Wolfpack are tied for 112th nationally in quarterback takedowns with 1.4 per game. But sacks aren’t a true indicator of a team’s pass rushing abilities. The Wolfpack can get to the quarterback. N.C. State is tied for second in the ACC in PFF pass rushing grade (78.2), and edge rusher Daniel Joseph leads the way with 20 pressures. Cory Durdan, N.C. State’s highest-graded defensive player, has wreaked havoc on the interior with 11 pressures and 1.5 sacks. The Wolfpack plays with three down linemen in a 3-3-5 defense.
Defensive coordinator Tony Gibson’s unit lost redshirt sophomore linebacker Payton Wilson for the season in the Mississippi State game with an arm injury. It was a blow. Wilson was the team’s leading tackler from last season, not to mention that he was an preseason All-ACC honoree. Still, the Wolfpack is sound at the second level. Drake Thomas has starred. He has 37 total tackles this year and two picks. Isaiah Moore isn’t too far behind with 34 total tackles. Together, they have 29 solos to their names this year. Hafley said that the guy who jumps out on the tape, though, is safety Tanner Ingle, a hard-hitting, 5-foot-10 junior who is third on the team with 31 total tackles but also has three passes defended. The Wolfpack’s best cover corner, according to PFF, is Tyler Baker-Williams (79.1 grade). N.C. State ranks in the ACC’s top five in every major defensive category. The Wolfpack is allowing just 15.8 points per game, which is 11th in the country.
Special Teams: Place kicker Christopher Dunn has been anything but a sure bet when trotting onto the field this season. While he is 20-of-20 on PATs this year, he’s a meager 5-of-9 on field goals. Head coach Dave Doeren trusts the junior’s leg, as he’s attempted four from 40 and beyond, except he’s converted just one of those tries. He hit a couple 53 yarders in 2020, though, so he is capable. Punter Trenton Gill is right behind BC’s Grant Carlson for the ACC lead in punt average. Gill is averaging 46.3 yards per boot. He has 11 punts of 50-plus yards this year and eight that have dropped inside the 20-yard line. Thayer Thomas returns punts for the Wolfpack and is averaging 10.1 yards per return.
Three Storylines:
Will N.C. State’s offense enjoy some consistency?
Things haven’t always been pretty for a Wolfpack offense that, despite ranking inside the top 50 in both scoring offense and total offense, has had its struggles, like in the first half against a statistically poor Louisiana Tech defense. The running game ebbs and flows, and Leary isn’t great under pressure. But, then again, the Eagles have really only faced one quality offense this year, and Missouri, for the most part, had its way with BC.
Can Dennis Grosel finally connect on the deep ball?
Grosel has the arm strength, no doubt. He has showcased that for the last three years. But he’s 2-of-11 on passes traveling 20-plus yards this season, according to PFF. BC has tried to attack secondaries early on in games, and Zay Flowers or Jaden Williams have often had a step on defensive backs. Grosel has just been underthrowing and overthrowing them. If he gets the ball to either of those guys in stride Saturday night, BC could hit the ground running.
Will BC keep its penalty count down?
Against No. 12 North Carolina, No. 1 Clemson and No. 2 Notre Dame last year, the Eagles averaged 9.7 penalties per game. Two weeks ago at Clemson? Ten penalties. Until BC cleans up the laundry, it’s going to have a difficult time winning tight games versus AP-ranked opponents. In Death Valley, false starts were a problem. Now that BC is at home, the Eagles should be better off in that regard.
Line: N.C. State (-3)
ESPN FPI: The database gives N.C. State a 55.2% chance of beating the Eagles.
Outlook: If either of these teams want to contend for the Atlantic Division title in a wide-open ACC, this game is a must win. It’s BC’s first night game with fans since the Eagles hosted Clemson in 2018 for a top-20, “College GameDay”-featured matchup. And it’s BC’s Class of 2020 Commencement Weekend. Alumni Stadium will be packed, like it was for the Missouri game in Week 4. The Eagles will have to win the turnover battle, limit penalties and establish physicality in the run game to help Hafley manage the clock and Grosel pilot the offense. These teams are similar on paper. Like the Clemson matchup, this one’s probably going to come down to the fourth quarter.
