It's difficult not to go into a road game without some trepidation, no matter the opponent. Fortunately for all of us, NC State set the tone right away, piecing together a long scoring drive that would guarantee the Wolfpack never trailed. That drive, which covered 73 yards on 15 plays, chewed up more than half of the first quarter.
That was a great microcosm of the Pack's performance on the offensive side so far this season--not a lot of explosive plays, but lots of efficient, consistent plays. NC State has averaged a modest number of yards per play in all three games (against ODU, it was 5.5), and so far that's been more than sufficient because of the way the team is sustaining drives.
The Pack cracked 40 minutes of possession time for the third straight game--they lead the nation in time of possession as the only team averaging 40+ minutes per game. That's one way to take the pressure off your defense. What a difference an effective ground game makes, huh?
Jaylen Samuels continues to be money in the red zone, as he scored yet again on some east-west action. This time it was from a shotgun look, and he got an excellent block from Matt Dayes on the edge to guide him into the end zone. Both Samuels and Dayes have six scores this year, putting them in a tie for sixth nationally in that category.