NC State and Tennessee set to square off for the first time in 12 years.
Tennessee will play NC State in the Duke’s Mayo Classic in Charlotte on Sep 7th, its second game of the season. The Vols have a 2-1 lead in the series, most recently with a 35-21 win in Atlanta in 2012, which was Derek Dooley’s final year as head coach.
Regarding this year’s matchup, Charlotte Sports Foundation’s executive director Danny Morrison said, “We are thrilled to host a dynamic regional match-up that is within driving distance for these two passionate fan bases. Tennessee and NC State have incredible ties to Charlotte and bringing them together to play in Bank of America Stadium will be an awesome experience.”
Things did not go well the last time the Vols played in Charlotte. Tennessee, led under first-year coach Jeremy Pruitt lost to West Virginia 40-14, led by familiar QB Will Grier (for the record, UT plays West Virginia in Charlotte again on September 2, 2028).
NC State finished last season with a 9-4 record and ranked No. 21 in the nation. Interestingly, NC State has only finished with more than nine wins once in program history, back in 2002. They closed out last season on a five-game winning streak, beating Clemson, Miami, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, and in-state rival UNC. Offensive coordinator Robert Anae, in his first year, outscored opponents by an average score of 29-15.
Coastal Carolina transfer QB Grayson McCall will command the reins for the offense. In three straight seasons from 2020 to 2022, McCall threw for at least 2400 yards, 24 TDs, and less than 3 picks. He battled a head injury last season.
Overall, the offense has been more of a mixed bag. Last season, they went 0-3 in games scoring fewer than 20 points, and 9-0 when scoring that many or more. One potential threat is returning wideout Kevin Concepcion, the ACC Rookie of the Year. NFL draft first-round candidate Anthony Belton is back in the offensive line. Add in Ohio State transfer Noah Rogers and Duke transfer running back Jordan Waters, and now the Wolfpack’s offense is expected to improve.
Defense is considered the strong suit for the team over in Raleigh. It led the nation in third down stops last season. Payton Wilson led the team with 138 tackles as the top linebacker in the country but has since departed for the NFL. NC State’s secondary ranked first in the ACC in interceptions, with 17 last year.
The game is a little over a month away but is approaching quickly. How will NC State’s offensive uptick fare vs Tennessee’s stout defensive line? Will the Wolfpack’s tenacious defense stifle a strong run game and Nico Iamaleava? As of right now, the Volunteers are favored by 4.5 points. UT fans will be eager to see coach Josh Heupel’s plans for this much-anticipated matchup in Charlotte.