OUR FINAL TAKE: NC State vs. Louisville
Several members of the Inside Pack Sports staff predict the winner of the NC State-Louisville matchup.
James Henderson (IPS Publisher)
NC State 41, Louisville 28
NC State needs this win, bad, and I think they get it.
Louisville has struggled all year on both sides of the ball, and I’m not sure a coaching change will magically correct that. If NC State plays the way they are capable of, my score differential is probably too low.
At the end of the day, I believe State’s overall strength in the trenches and at quarterback will prove to be the difference.
Steve Williams (IPS Football Recruiting Analyst)
NC State 38, Louisville 30
Louisville will cover because they'll start throwing the ball all over the field late, but the Pack will have built a sizable lead and will make just enough plays to hang on.
Bryant Carson (IPS Football Analyst)
NC State 30, Louisville 20
You have to hope State is now wide awake and mad as hell after last week's performance. If they go to L-Ville and play inspired football then it should be a blowout... but there's no way I'm predicting that given the Wake game.
Rob McLamb (IPS Beat Writer)
NC State 38, Louisville 21
The Cardinals will likely give a spirited effort and, based on recent weeks, the NC State defense will probably allow some big plays in the secondary.
Expect the Wolfpack to have a win similar to the victory over Virginia earlier in the season. They will never quite run away with the game but should be able to control things for the most part.
Jacob McSwain (IPS Writer)
NC State 45, Louisville 14
Everyone take a deep breath and repeat after me... “Louisville is definitely worse than NC State.”
Unfortunately, I could have said the same thing last week... but it is different this time, I promise. I refuse to believe that a team as inept as the Cardinals could play well enough to win.
Hopefully the guys from Raleigh exorcise some Demons and get back on track.
Daniel Wilson (IPS Writer)
NC State 42, Louisville 10
The Wolfpack’s trending downward, but this is the game for NC State to get back on the right track and finish the regular season the right way.
The Cardinals just lost their head coach, and Louisville will finish the year under .500. If the loss to Wake Forest was shocking, a State loss to Louisville should be unacceptable to the fans and unfathomable to those outside the local sphere.
So that’s why NC State should come out strong and punch the Cards straight in the teeth (or beaks?) from the get-go.
Ethan Barry (IPS Intern)
NC State 40, Lousiville 21
Like I said in the critical questions, my head tells me Louisville plays well and State kicks a bunch of field goals to keep it close. I don't trust my head anymore, and I still think the Pack settles for too many field goals, but ultimately is able to do more offensively and plays well on the other side.
This is one of those games where you feel like the Pack is up big, but you look at the scoreboard and it's a two-possession game for most of the game.