OUR FINAL TAKE: NC State vs. Wake Forest
Several members of the Inside Pack Sports staff predict the winner of the NC State-Wake Forest matchup and tells you why.
James Henderson (IPS Publisher)
Wake Forest 34, NC State 31
This spot doesn't set up well for NC State at all, and with Wake Forest shredding opposing defenses, NC State could be entering a hornets' nest tonight in Winston-Salem.
The Wolfpack has fared well on the road and is the better team, but I'd be very impressed if they can win this game with it being the second of back-to-back road games and a rivalry matchup with North Carolina looming.
Both teams will light up the scoreboard, but look for Wake to make one more big play. If this game was held in Raleigh I'd be picking NC State, but it's not.
Rob McLamb (IPS Beat Writer)
NC State 42, Wake Forest 24
The Wolfpack should have no problem scoring on Wake Forest and the defense ought to be able to stop the Demon Deacons enough to keep things from getting out of hand.
There will be plenty of red in Winston-Salem and NC State will give them enough to cheer for.
Bryant Carson (IPS Football Analyst)
Wake Forest 34, NC State 27
Losing in Winston has been somewhat of a tradition for NC State in the last 20-ish years.
Of course Doeren and company found a way to get it done in 2015 but that victory must still be considered an outlier—two wins in a row in Winston and maybe the tides start to turn. In order to get that win the Pack will have to slow down a Wake team that has really found its offensive rhythm in the last 3-4 weeks.
A lot of Wake seniors that haven’t yet tasted victory over the Pack, an offense with momentum and a home night game all leaves me believing the Deacons will come out of this thing on top.
James Johnson (IPS Football Analyst)
NC State 27, Wake Forest 21
This is a tricky game for the Wolfpack.
State needs to finish the year strong as this team still has several goals to accomplish. Nobody seems to know how good this group is. Ranked 19 in the CFP poll, but a road underdog speaks volumes about the season and the uncertainty. Most expected last week to be a tough road game for the Pack, and this week will be the same.
Do not expect Ryan Finley and his wideouts to be out of rhythm two weeks in a row. The offense will bounce back with a great all around effort. The State defense has been inconsistent fitting the run game the last three weeks. If this problem is fixed, expect a Wolfpack victory.
Jackson Williford (IPS Writer)
NC State 35, Wake Forest 31
NC State has put itself in a position to do something only one team has done in school history: reach the double-digit win threshold. The first step in reaching that momentous level of success is beating a red hot Wake Forest team in Winston-Salem.
Wake will undoubtedly test NC State in a variety of ways. John Wolford is one of the ACC’s premier quarterbacks, and he gets in done with his arm and with his legs. His ability to fit throws into tight windows while also effectively running the read option makes him a serious threat on any and every down. The Demon Deacons’ offense has certainly shown the ability to be explosive and overwhelming through a variety of different looks and sets.
On the flip side, Wake’s defense has proven to be susceptible to balanced offenses, and that’s exactly what the Wolfpack possesses. NC State has also gone on the road three times in ACC play and grinded out three tough wins. I think that battle tested experience combined with NC State’s offensive efficiency will prove to be the difference in a shootout.
I’m taking the Wolfpack on the road, edging closer to making school history, with a final score of 35-31.
Daniel Wilson (IPS Writer)
NC State 30, Wake Forest 20
The final road game of the season for the Wolfpack comes at a place where State has had little luck in recent memory. However, the same could be said for Boston College’s Alumni Stadium, and you saw how that played out last week.
NC State has shown that it can contend with some of the best teams in the Atlantic, so Saturday’s contest against Wake Forest looks to be a walk in the park — on paper. However, the Demon Deacons are no slouch. They’ll look to stun the Top 25 Pack, and home field advantage favoring Wake will make this game interesting.
Ultimately, though, State should pull away late to secure the team’s sixth ACC win of the season.
Austin Parker (IPS Writer)
NC State 35, Wake Forest 21
I think this could be a higher score than my prediction, and I also think it could be closer, but here I am stuck at 35-21 Pack.
Everyone is talking about WF being the hottest team right now, but they said the same about BC last weekend. Although their offense is obviously striving right now, they face a tough D. Pack has to win the LOS and pound the run game on offense. Use Nyheim as effectively as you can and use up a lot of clock is the keys.
Another prediction I will give is I expect 10k+ people in Red and White at BB&T Field, which is about a third of their capacity.
Jake McSwain (IPS Writer)
NC State 28, Wake Forest 17
Historically speaking, NC State has struggled to take care of business in Wake Forest.
This year's team so far has been able to avoid some of the pitfalls that plagued the program. I think the tides continue to turn and this team puts some Demons to rest, with the defense carrying much of the load.