First look: NC State, UNC meet in annual rivalry, Wolfpack bowl eligibility on the line
North Carolina and N.C. State will take the field at Kenan Stadium Saturday, both hoping to end the regular season on a high note.
Neither program has lived up to expectations this season and, at times, looked like shells of their past selves.
The Tar Heels are already bowl eligible, while the Wolfpack is desperate to earn its sixth win and earn a bowl bid.
N.C. State (5-6, 2-5 ACC) is coming off a heartbreaking 30-29 loss at Georgia Tech, where it looked poised to pull off the upset.
“We don’t have time to feel sorry for ourselves,” N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren said Thursday. “We gotta go play our rival this week and take all the pain that you’re feeling inside and put it away and get ready to use it.”
Said safety Bishop Fitzgerald: “It’s going to be hard (to move on). We meet tomorrow, just gonna get this game out the way, get an off day, try to get our minds off it and then come back ready to beat UNC.”
North Carolina (6-5, 3-4 ACC) enters the game off a loss. Boston College whooped the Tar Heels, 41-21, to snap the team’s three-game win streak while sacking Jacolby Criswell seven times.
With both teams struggling to find consistent, high-level success in a singular area of the field this year, the result will likely come down to which program wants it more. Based on quarterback CJ Bailey’s comments after the team’s loss, the Wolfpack hopes it’s the one bouncing back, limiting mistakes and getting the win.
“North Carolina, we’re coming. We’re going to win this game with North Carolina,” Bailey said. “We’re going to get our win against North Carolina, because it means a lot to us. Things went wrong all year, but this game right here is our game.”
Matchup to watch: Omarion Hampton vs. Wolfpack defense 2.0
UNC’s Omarion Hampton is one of the best running backs in the nation. He ranks No. 1 in the ACC and No. 3 in the nation for rushing yards (1,475), rushing yards per game (134.1) and all-purpose yards per game (160.9).
Hampton is No. 4 in the country with total rushing attempts (259) and No. 14 for total touchdowns (15).
He is fallible, though. Hampton recorded 244 yards in the Tar Heels’ win over Wake Forest on Nov. 16. On Saturday, Boston College held him to a season-low 53 yards.
Last season, the Wolfpack held Hampton to 28 rushing yards on nine attempts.
Wolfpack defensive end Davin Vann leads the nation in forced fumbles (5) and leads the team with 5.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss. Linebacker Sean Brown earns an assist with five fumble recoveries and a team-leading 83 tackles.
The Wolfpack defense has been inconsistent at stopping the run, but it’s better than it looks. N.C. State ranks No. 54 in the nation for rushing defense (138.4 yards per game), but it held seven of its 11 opponents this season to 120 rushing yards or fewer. Its games against Clemson, Tennessee and Stanford significantly skewed the average.
The team held Syracuse to 78 yards on the ground and Duke only gained 31. Georgia Tech entered the game last week, averaging 186.2 yards per game. The Pack allowed 119.
“N.C. State’s got a really good defense,” UNC coach Mack Brown said on Saturday. “They stop the run; try to make the quarterback beat you in the passing game.”
N.C. State has shown it can slow down elite runners, and with a team desperate to extend its season one more game, Hampton could see the full force of the Wolfpack’s defense this weekend.
Players to watch: Beau Atkinson and Jahvaree Ritzie
UNC defensive linemen Beau Atkinson and Jahvaree Ritzie could make things difficult for the Wolfpack offensive line this weekend.
Atkinson has contributed 6.5 sacks for a loss of 48 yards this season. He recorded 5.5 sacks between the Tar Heels’ wins over Virginia and Florida State this season, earning the nickname from defensive coordinator Geoff Collins “Sack-inson.” He’s added 26 total tackles this season.
Ritzie is tied with Atkinson for sacks this season and pushed opponents back 41 yards. The senior contributed 31 tackles, one forced fumble and went viral for his 84-yard pick six against the Cavaliers in October.
Both players are big and mobile and can beat opposing blockers with ease. The Wolfpack will have its work cut out with a duo that ranks in the ACC top 10 for sacks.
Vegas betting line
The U.S. sportsbooks disagree on which team will come out victorious this weekend. N.C. State opened as a two-point favorite, according to Vegas Insider. The Pack is favored by as many as four points by Bet365, BetMGM and Bally Sports. The Tar Heels are a 5.5-point favorite, according to DraftKings and FanDuel sports books.
NC State vs UNC game info
Teams: N.C. State Wolfpack (5-6, 2-5 ACC) vs North Carolina Tar Heels (6-5, 3-4 ACC)
Where: Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill
Date: Saturday, Nov. 30
Time: 3:30 p.m.
TV: ACC Network
Stream: fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV Stream, Sling TV
Series history: The Tar Heels lead the all-time series, 68-39-6, but the Wolfpack has won three in a row. N.C. State defeated UNC, 39-20, last season in Raleigh. The year prior, in Chapel Hill, the Pack earned a 30-27 victory in double overtime.
