A STUDENT'S PERSPECTIVE: NC State's Season Comes To A Fork In The Road

For the second year in a row, NC State outplayed division rival Clemson and still emerged from the contest with a loss.  

NC State couldn’t overcome a litany of missed opportunities and mistakes, turning the ball over twice, missing a field goal, and giving up two explosive touchdown plays that ultimately doomed them at the end of the day.  Questionable rulings and inconsistent calls made by referees only heightened the disappointment and frustration of the outcome, and the team and its fans were left wondering once again about what could have been.

Saturday’s loss stings for several obvious reasons. The Wolfpack lost in a similarly heartbreaking fashion last year in Death Valley as they dealt with special teams woes, bringing back familiar feelings of disappointment and regret. Numerous opportunities were left on the field on Saturday and the aforementioned explosive plays gave Clemson an edge, and yet, it still felt like State played well for the most part against one of the nation’s elite programs: they outgained the Tigers 491-415, held onto the football for 35 minutes, and consistently put themselves in a position to pull off one of the biggest wins in school history.

Instead, they came up just short.  

An NC State win would have put them in the driver’s seat to win the ACC Atlantic for the first time since 1979. To win the division, the Pack must now win out and get some help from Florida State this Saturday in a matchup that Clemson is currently favored to win by 18.  

Yes, the Clemson loss cuts deep, and it’s easy to get caught up in the “almosts” and “what ifs” that linger amongst the psyche after a significant, emotional loss, but the Pack can’t afford to dwell on the past any longer. Last year NC State let their misstep in Death Valley snowball into a four-game ACC skid that put a significant damper on the team’s season. 

At this point in the year, NC State’s roller coaster 2017 campaign has reached a critical fork in the road. The next three weeks will determine if this year’s team achieves historical success or fails to meet expectations. Which path will the Wolfpack take?

There are a couple of different ways to look at how the remainder of the season could play out.

On one hand, NC State still has the potential to complete a special season.  The Pack is only two weeks removed from being ranked as the 14th best team in the country, before playing two college football playoff contenders and nearly defeating one of them at home. This senior laden team boasts talent and experience all over the field that hasn’t been seen in Raleigh in quite some time. 

With three winnable games and a potentially enticing bowl matchup left on the schedule, NC State has the opportunity to reach ten wins for only the second time in school history.  There’s also the off chance that Florida State upsets Clemson this weekend, giving State enough wiggle room to win the Atlantic division, provided the Pack win out.

And on the other hand? Over the next couple of weeks, NC State has to hit the road and play against two teams that have consistently given the Pack all they could handle and more since Dave Doeren took the helm of the program in 2013.  The first, Boston College, is arguably the hottest team in the ACC, averaging over 40 points per game in their last three games, all wins over Louisville, Virginia, and Florida State. 

After a date in Chestnut Hill, the Pack takes on Wake Forest, who has continually shown improvement this year and competed soundly against playoff contenders Clemson and Notre Dame. State will then close the season with North Carolina in a rivalry game, and the Tar Heels nearly upset Coastal division leader Miami in a back and forth contest earlier in October. It would be disappointing to see the Pack drop any one of these games given the hype and talent that has surrounded this squad, and bouncing back and winning three straight ACC games would be a tall task for any team in this situation to complete.

Coach Dave Doeren has emphasized his confidence in his team’s senior leadership throughout the season, citing the Pack’s leadership council, their frequently discussed “24-hour rule,” and the past three seasons of experience as contributions to the forging of a deep sense of maturity and focus among this senior class and team.

After the results of the past two weeks, and given the challenging nature of the games in front of them, it is now more important than ever for this senior class to show that level of leadership and maturity that Coach Doeren has raved about. They will undoubtedly be instrumental in guiding the team through whatever the rest of the season holds for the team: history and success, or bitter disappointment. 

There is still plenty to play for, but to take the path of success and finish the season strong, the Wolfpack must turn the page on Clemson, refocus, and move forward together.