NC State is No. 81 in preseason Pomeroy Ratings

NC State figures to be better this season, but whether “better” means “capable of making the NCAA tournament” remains to be seen. Consider the Pomeroy Ratings skeptical at this point, as the Wolfpack will begin the season at No. 81.

Though could see that as encouraging, given that the Pack finished last season at 128th. The ratings expect State’s defense to bounce back and perform more competitively after that unit cratered in the absence of Manny Bates. The offense is projected essentially to be exactly as good as it was a year ago (56th projected for 2023 vs. 59th in 2022)—I’d bet this team beats that projection, though.

Here’s how NC State stacks up with the rest of the ACC:

Virginia (5)
UNC (9)
Duke (15)
Virginia Tech (21)
Miami (42)
Notre Dame (43)
Syracuse (54)

Clemson (60)
FSU (65)
Boston College (74)
Wake Forest (80)
NC State (81)
Pittsburgh (84)
Louisville (91)
Georgia Tech (117)

Three of the Pack’s non-conference opponents are higher in the preseason ratings: Kansas (8), Vanderbilt (66), and Furman (69).