Two forced fumbles are the difference as the Wolfpack offense struggles to do anything
NC State’s home tilt with Northern Illinois started off well enough, with the Wolfpack tallying three tackles-for-loss on the Huskies first six plays, forcing a punt, and then driving 64 yards for a touchdown. The defense would carry on from there, but the offense would all but disappear. Thankfully, the defense and special teams were on their game throughout to carry State to a 24-17 win.
The win moves the Pack to 3-2 on the year with all three wins coming at Carter-Finley against non-conference Group-of-5 or FCS opponents. NIU falls to 2-2 with both losses coming by a single score.
Following State’s first possession touchdown drive – one helped by a 4th down conversion on a fake punt – the Huskies responded with a 7-play, 75 yard touchdown drive to even things up. NC State’s next five possessions after the touchdown netted only 61 yards, with 36 of those coming on a 2nd quarter field goal drive set up by the Pack’s punting game continually flipping the field and setting up the offense.
The defense was State’s best offense on the day. D.K. Kaufman sacked NIU QB Ethan Hampton on a first quarter drive, forcing the fumble, and then recovering the fumble himself and taking it in for a touchdown to put the Pack up 14-7. NC State’s lone second half score was a 3-play, 1-yard touchdown drive set up by a Davin Vann forced fumble on another sack of Hampton, with Brandon Cleveland recovering the fumble. Without those two massive plays – as well as interceptions on the final two Huskies drives – the Wolfpack loses. It’s as simple as that.
NC State was outgained 279-to-176 in yards for the game with the Pack converting a paltry 1-of-11 3rd down conversion attempts. The ground game managed just 80 yards on 24 carries (3.3 yards/carry) and the passing “attack” went for just 108 yards at 5.4 yards/attempt. Of State’s 11 first downs in the game, 3 came by penalty.
At least the offense took care of the ball. I’m not sure State could have survived a turnover on the day.
Caden Noonkester averaged 49.8 yards/punt on 8 punts in the game, with 7 of those punts being downed inside the NIU 20 yardline, including 5 inside the NIU 15. Northern Illinois, meanwhile, averaged 39.8 yards/punt on 5 punts. Dominating in the margins of the special teams game was huge.
C.J. Bailey was okay on offense, completing 13-of-20 passes, but looked like the true freshman he is more often than not. K.C. Concepcion hauled in Bailey’s lone touchdown pass of the day, but it came as part of a 4-catch, 4-yard effort.
Clearly the Pack offense has some work to do as the full brunt of ACC play approaches. Wake Forest and their defense that allows a hair under 40.0 points/game comes to Raleigh this week, providing – in theory, at least – a bit of a soft landing spot for State’s offense to work things out.