Despite a disappointing Homecoming loss to Virginia Saturday, NC State can bounce back to become bowl eligible with a win at home against Wake Forest.
NC State, led by QB Mike Glennon, and Wake Forest, led by QB Tanner Price, meet in an Atlantic Division contest at Carter-Finley Stadium (3 p.m, RSN) that will make one team bowl eligible. Both teams come into Saturday’s contest with 5-4 records and need one more victory to qualify for postseason play. The Deacons and Wolfpack will be meeting for the 106th time in a series which has been played every year since 1910 and is the ACC’s longest continuous football rivalry.
Wake Forest junior QB Tanner Price (Austin, Tex.) completed 39 of 57 passes for 293 yards and 3 TDs in the Deacons’ 28-14 win over Boston College. Meanwhile Wake Forest junior WR Michael Campanaro (Clarksville, Md.) tied an ACC single-game record with 16 receptions for 123 yards and three scores against Boston College. Wake Forest sophomore CB Kevin Johnson (Clarksville, Md.) had seven tackles, two pass breakups and a pass interception in the Deacons’ win over the Eagles.
There were fewer positives for the Wolfpack last weekend, however, NC State junior WR Rashard Smith (Dublin, Ga.) averaged 18.7 yards on three punt returns in the Wolfpack’s loss to Virginia.
The Series: NC State leads 62-37-6; NC State leads 41-22-5 at home.
The Coaches: Jim Grobe: 73-71 (12th year) at Wake Forest; 106-104-1 (17th year) overall Tom O’Brien: 38-34 (6th year) at NC State; 113-79 (16th year) overall
Of note: Wake Forest has won five of the last seven meetings between the teams, including a 34-27 victory last year at Winston-Salem … The teams will be meeting for the 103rd consecutive year, making this the longest continuous running series in the ACC … It is the second-most played game in the ACC behind North Carolina-Virginia, which meet for the 107th time on Nov. 15 … WR Danny Dembry scored two touchdowns, and QB Tanner Price threw for 297 yards and a touchdown to lead
the Demon Deacons’ win last season at Winston-Salem.
Next up: Wake Forest at Notre Dame (Nov. 17); NC State at Clemson (Nov. 17)
Virginia 33, NC State 6
The visiting Cavaliers (3-6, 1-4) forced five NC State turnovers and recorded six quarterback sacks while snapping a six-game losing streak on Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C. One of the biggest sacks came from DT Will Hill, who dropped Wolfpack QB Mike Glennon for a safety. The Cavaliers also came up with three interceptions. QB Phillip Sims ran for one touchdown and threw for another, and Kevin Parks rushed for 115 yards and a late 31-yard touchdown for Virginia. Backup QB Michael Rocco added an 18-yard touchdown pass to WR Darius Jennings. The Wolfpack (5-4, 2-3) avoided its first home shutout since 2007 with 6:30 remaining in the game, when Glennon fired a 2-yard touchdown pass to TE Mario Carter.