With National Signing Day behind us, and the ACC schedule out, we’ve got about six months to prepare for the start of the 2015 college football season. NC State wrapped up National Signing Day as the 34th ranked team on Rivals. Last time out I looked at what this Pack team has ahead of it at home next year, this time I’m looking at the road games.
The Pack has six road games next season, and they come in pairs on the schedule. The bye week comes between two road games, following a Friday night game in Blacksburg against the Virginia Tech Hokies.
After two home games to start the year, NC State goes on the road for back-to-back games against Old Dominion and South Alabama.
Old Dominion
The Pack head up to Norfolk, VA to give the Monarchs a rematch from last year’s 46-34 Wolfpack win. ODU went 6-6 in 2014 and would’ve been bowl eligible in its first Conference USA season if not for division transition rules. ODU finished on a three game win streak to close 2014, including handing C-USA West winner Louisiana Tech their only regular season conference loss. Any way you look at this game, it’s a step up from the Pack’s first two games against Troy and Eastern Kentucky.
South Alabama
NC State follows Norfolk with Mobile to take on the Jaguars of South Alabama. Last season, South Alabama won six games, and put up a good showing in the third incarnation of the Camellia Bowl against Bowling Green (SA lost 33-28).
Friday Night Lights
After Louisville at home, NC State gets back on the road for a Friday night showdown in Blacksburg. VA Tech is a school where it doesn’t matter what night of the week you play ball, the place will be full.
I love my mid-week MACtion, but I’ve seen a few Toledo games with fans packed in the bleachers between the 30-yard lines. Those upper corners were only metal showing.
Even when VA Tech lost a head scratcher against James Madison in 2010, Lane Stadium was still sold out on a dreary day.
With Ohio State opening the season in Blacksburg, VA Tech will likely sell most of their season tickets based on this marquee game alone. With a conference foe in the Wolfpack coming in on a Friday night, the place will be ready to roll.
Vs. the Bye Week, then Demon Deacons
After the bye week, it’s off to Winston Salem to take on Wake Forest. If Wake stays the same course as last season, it shouldn’t be much of a game. NC State will have more offensive and defensive talent top to bottom. Even if the VA Tech game gets away, which it could in such a tough environment, a trip to Wake Forest could soothe the soul.
The very next game is at home against Clemson. Wake is the big trap game on the schedule. Stuck in between two big time opponents are the Demon Deacons, who won’t exactly command anyone’s full attention. It’ll be up to head coach Dave Doeren and the leaders on the team to steer the Wolfpack in the right direction and not fall prey to the letdown/trap game.
At least the bye week is there to get over the VA Tech game, regardless of the outcome, and get ready for a key Atlantic Division game. One can’t help but imagine a lot of the players’ minds will be moving two weeks ahead to the Tigers in Raleigh.
Starting with Wake, the Pack has six games in six weeks to close the season. Following Clemson at home, it’s onto Boston College and Florida State to close the road schedule.
Final Stretch
These last two road games will end a brutal six-game stretch in the middle of the year. Starting with Louisville, there is no let up (besides Wake Forest, which as mentioned above, could get tricky).
Louisville, Virginia Tech, Clemson, Boston College, and Florida State will all be huge threats to NC State. The latter two beat the Pack handily last year, with Florida State especially smiting the Wolfpack after trailing in the first half.
Boston College will have to replace quarterback Tyler Murphy, who led them to a winning season last year, including a last minute Pinstripe Bowl win against Penn State.
Florida State will also replace its starting quarterback, Jameis Winston. While the Seminoles went 13-0 before getting obliterated in the College Football Playoff semifinals, they never fully gained the trust of a lot of pundits throughout the country. FSU won, but never fully dominated anyone. It’ll be interesting to see how well the ‘Noles fare in 2015 without the skills of Winston, but also without the off-field antics.
With the schedule laid out sans kickoff times for the time being, the four non-conference games are again must wins. These are winnable games, with the home games the easiest of the four. The two non-conference road games will be bigger test against better competition. It will serve the Pack better in getting ready for the ACC schedule.
With seven games in their home state (including five of their first eight) and two more of the first eight in Virginia, there should be plenty of red and white in the stands for NC State this season.
Visiting VA Tech on a Friday night will be a pivotal game. The Pack gets their bye following this game, and this could be a week of jubilation if they’re up to four or five wins by this point. Or it could be the second chapter in a tough stretch of play in which they will be put to the test week in and week out.
After Troy and Eastern Kentucky, there are no gimmes on next year’s schedule. It’s imperative to get those wins with ease, because nothing’s going to come easy once the road schedule starts.
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