2011 NC State Wolfpack Football: NC State @ Florida State

Several years ago, the Florida State-North Carolina State matchup not only held ACC title implications; it united Bobby Bowden with his former assistant, onetime N.C. State head coach Chuck Amato. Now, the faces are different for the Seminoles and the Wolfpack. Their situations aren’t nearly as prosperous as they were in the early part of the decade, when Florida State still made BCS bowls and NCSU whacked Notre Dame in the 2003 Gator Bowl.

Florida State is hosting North Carolina State on a two-game winning streak after dropping three and a row. Granted, the wins have been over Duke and Maryland, but NCState has already lost to Wake Forest and is 4-3 on the season, but two wins have been over FCS teams, and last week’s win over a lackluster Virginia team was the first conference win of the season – on October 22. The Wolfpack have struggled this season, and while people are quick to blame the loss of Russell Wilson to Wisconsin, the defense has been awful after losing all-ACC linebacker Nate Irving. Sean Glennon has not been the Wolfpack’s problem; he is having a better year than most people are giving him credit for. He’s completing 62.9 percent of his passes with 1,717 yards on the season with 19 TDs and only 6 interceptions. The lack of a running game due to a depleted offensive line and an awful defense are State’s biggest issues. James Washington has only 491 yards on 117 carries, and other than WR T.J. Graham (492 yards on 23 catches and four scores), Glennon may be the offensive MVP for the Pack so far.

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FSU’s defense might have its hands full; it has had trouble against good passing quarterbacks such as Oklahoma’s Landry Jones, Clemson’s Tajh Boyd, and Wake Forest’s Tanner Price, and while Glennon isn’t exactly like any of the three, he does have the ability to pick apart a struggling FSU secondary, and Graham and company should be able to get open. FSU needs to pressure Glennon early and often with outstanding defensive ends Brandon Jenkins and Bjorn Werner – it seems clear that Wolfpack head coach Tom O’Brien will have to rely on his passing game. N.C. State isn’t running the ball well and FSU’s defense has been strong against the run.

FSU’s offense should have a third-straight outing with a ton of yards and points against another overmatched defense after winning the last two games by identical scores of 41-16. The Wolfpack defense has struggled mightily all season, giving up almost 28 points per game despite playing against two FCS teams early in the season. The Pack has given up 34, 44, 45, 24, and 28 to the five FCS teams it has played. Florida State has built up big first half leads over the past couple weeks passing the ball, which has created the opportunity to run the ball in the second half. The Noles are likely to follow the same formula against NCSU. After having no rushing game to speak of over the first five games, FSU true freshman running back Devonta Freeman has had back to back 100 yard games and has clearly established himself as the number one back. E.J. Manuel remains a big part of the running game and is always a threat to tuck and run on passing plays. He’s been a solid 105-163 for 1,455 yards despite missing much of the second half of the Oklahoma game, the entire Clemson game, and much of the first half of the Wake Forest game due to a should injury he sustained against Oklahoma.

It is unclear at this time if he’ll have Rashad Greene, an outstanding true freshman receiver who is leading the team in receptions and yards despite missing the last two games, which has nearly allowed Rodney Smith to catch up in both categories. True freshman Christian Green is the third leading receiver in terms of yards, giving Manuel two outstanding true freshmen to throw the ball to. A defense that has struggled against the likes of Cincinnati and Wake Forest should have trouble stopping FSU’s 14th-ranked passing offense, but if the Pack can force turnovers – as Wake Forest did, winning the turnover battle 5-0 – it has a shot to outscore FSU.

NC State Wolfpack @ Florida State Seminoles Football Preview