NC State returns to Carter-Finley Stadium for game two of a three game home stand as they face the Florida State Seminoles in a key ACC matchup Saturday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm on the ACC Network.
The Wolfpack (4-3 overall, 4-3 ACC) enter Saturday night’s game dropping their last two contests to ranked opponents – most recently nearly upsetting #9 ranked Miami last Friday in a 44-41 shootout. NC State built a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter before seeing the Hurricanes score 13 unanswered points to avoid the upset.
Florida State (2-4 overall, 1-4 ACC) heads to Raleigh also on a two game losing streak after falling at home to Pitt last Saturday 41-17. The Seminoles have been outscored 89-33 the last two weeks since upsetting then ranked #5 UNC on October 17th in Tallahassee. FSU’s roster also took a major hit this week as head coach Mike Norvell announced defensive tackle Marvin Wilson and offensive tackle Devontay Love-Taylor both have season-ending injuries. In addition, wide receiver Tamorrion Terry is no longer with the team and quarterback James Blackman will transfer after graduation.
Game Notes
● After playing four of its first six games on the road, NC State is finishing the second half of the season with four of five games at home.
● Florida State has scored on nine of its 14 opening drives of a half this season and scored a total of 54 points on those drives.
● The Wolfpack has dramatically improved its scoring output in 2020. Last season, NC State’s offense ranked 107th in the NCAA – averaging 22.1 points a game. This season, the squad sits at 32nd in the NCAA in scoring offense among teams that have played more than one game.
● NC State starting quarterback Bailey Hockman signed with and attended Florida State. He redshirted the 2017 season in Tallahassee and then threw for 203 yards and a TD in the ‘Noles 2018 spring game before deciding to transfer.
● FSU is tied for first in the NCAA with five blocked kicks this season, courtesy of two blocked field goals, two blocked punts and one blocked PAT. Florida State and Army are the only two teams in the country with at least one blocked field goal, PAT and punt this season and are the only teams to have blocked multiple field goals and multiple punts. Individually, Marvin Wilson is tied for the NCAA lead with three blocked kicks.
● Junior Levi Jones blocked a punt in two straight games (Virginia, Duke). He’s the first Wolfpack player since 2010 to block two punts in a season.
● NC State has won two of the last three meetings with Florida State – winning 27-21 in Tallahassee in 2017 and 47-28 at home in 2018. The Wolfpack fell 13-31 last year in Tallahassee.