After opening the season 10-2, N. C. State's opponents went 9-3 in the second week of the season, bringing the season record of Pack opponents to 19-5. Throw out games pitting a conference opponent against a conference opponent that are both on the Pack's schedule (which necessarily results in a 1-1 split), and Pack foes are 17-3 (.850 winning percentage) so far. Toss out game's involving State, and the record goes to 16-2 (.889), though that is largely cupcake inflated (looking at you, FSU).
After each weekend of the season, I am going to continue to track how our future opponents' seasons are unfolding while also keeping track of how past opponents react to not having us to kick around anymore.
How to read the post: A capsule for each Pack opponent, including the team's record and most recent result, is listed under the heading "Week 1," "Week 2," "Week 3," etc. based on what week during the season that the Pack plays that opponent. The future/past opponent is listed in bold.
Just keep reading...you'll figure it out.
Week 1: Tennessee (2-0) 51, Georgia State (0-2) 13
The Volunteers continued to exercise its Georgia Dome demons, first by beating State there and then by trouncing a Georgia State team that calls the dome home (though this game was in K-ville). I cannot imagine how empty the dome will be Saturday when the University of Texas at San Antonio comes to the ATL to face GSU.
Justin Hunter caught 8 passes for 146 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the way for the Volunteers.
Week 2: N. C. State (1-1) 10, UCONN (1-1) 7
BTP has had plenty to say about this game here, here, here, and here.
Week 3: South Alabama (1-1) 9, Nicholls State (0-1) 3
SOAL got its first win of the season in too-close-for-comfort fashion, toppling an FCS Colonels team that was 1-10 last year and outscored 380-198 on the season. The Jaguars managed just 3.7 yards per play against the dregs of the FCS, making it really difficult to get overly concerned about them when they come to Raleigh for blood money this Saturday.
Week 4: The Citadel (2-0) 23, Georgia Southern (1-1) 21
TOB and crew had to take notice when The Citadel upset FCS #3 Georgia Southern Saturday on Thomas Warren's field goal with 35 seconds left in the 4th quarter. The Citadel was outgained by over 100 yards, but Georgia Southern shot itself in the foot with 5 fumbles, losing a pair of them. The win over the third-ranked Eagles was the highest ranked opponent the Bulldogs have ever beaten.
This game already seemed likely to be tougher than the SOAL game, and if The Citadel has a good showing in Boone this weekend we are all officially on notice for the annual TOB WTF game.
Week 5: #21 Kansas State (2-0) 52, Miami (1-1, 1-0) 13
The Hurricanes continue to get annihilated on defense. K-State amassed 288 yards on the ground and toted the mail for 6 rushing touchdowns. This was a 52-6 game until a late garbage time score, and Duke Johnson, who had multiple 50-plus-yard TD runs in week one, managed just 6 carries for 19 yards in the laugher loss to K-State.
It is hard to fathom how the once-mighty Hurricanes, right smack-dab in the middle of the hottest recruiting bed in the country, could have fallen so far.
Week 6: #5 Florida State (2-0) 55, Savannah State 0 (0-2)
Lightning shortened this "contest," putting an end to the Seminoles' prolonged stretch of tune-ups to open the season. So far FSU has allowed 1.5 points per game. Now the Seminoles will hope to avoid getting Grobed for a second straight season. FSU opened as a 24-point favorite over the Deacons despite losing 35-30 in Winston-Salem last year.
Week 7: Bye
Week 8: Maryland (2-0) 36, Temple (1-1) 27
Maryland's start to the season is quite a head scratcher. After needing a 4th quarter score to slip past both William & Mary, 7-6, the Terps stormed to a 26-3 halftime lead against a pretty decent Temple squad that won 9 games and a bowl last year. How the Terps managed to score 36 points on 334 total yards while turning the ball over 4 times is anyone's guess. The Owls swooped back into the game, getting it to 29-27 in the 4th quarter, but Justus Pickett's 7-yard scamper salted it away for the Fighting Edsalls.
Week 9: Wake Forest (2-0, 1-0) 28, North Carolina (1-1, 0-1) 27
Without Italian Stallion Giovani Benard, the Fedora Express was slowed, and the Tarheels' first-year coach was the latest league head man to learn the meaning of getting Grobed. Fedora seems to fit right in with the classlessness that pervades Tarheel athletics programs, as he let Bryn Renner return to the game after an apparent head injury, saying afterward that Renner had simply had the wind knocked out of him. Renner was not himself after the hit, completing just 12-of-26 passes for 164 yards after opening the game 11-for-13 for 107. I guess you can see why the Pop Tarts would risk the young man's health since they have so much to play for this year...oh wait.
Week 10: Virginia (2-0) 17, Penn State (0-2) 16
Sam Ficken's 1-for-5 performance on field goals for the Nittany Lions was the only thing more painful to watch than the State-UConn game last weekend, but thanks to Ficken's ineptitude the Cavs remain unbeaten despite running for just 36 yards on 25 carries.
Week 11: Wake Forest (2-0, 1-0) 28, North Carolina (1-1, 0-1) 27
After struggling against Liberty in the opener, Tanner Price found his touch, going 27-for-38 for 327 yards and plunging in for the winning sneak with 2:09 left. Michael Campanaro had 13 grabs for 164 yards. Wake's trip to FSU is shaping up to be an important early-season Atlantic Division matchup.
Week 12: #11 Clemson (2-0) 52, Ball State (1-1) 27
Dabo pulled the chute after the Tigers put 45 on the board in the first half. Even though the game was never really in doubt, Clemson faithful and anyone that bet on Clemson to cover might be a bit miffed about Ball State's 27 points.
Week 13: Boston College (1-1, 0-1) 34, Maine (0-1) 3
The Black Bears actually led this one 3-0 midway through the second period, but the Eagles rattled off 17 points before halftime and another 17 in the 3rd quarter to win comfortably. Though it has come against Miami and FCS-level Maine, BC has scored 66 points in two games. That's a good month for them over the past few seasons.