NC State checks in at No. 45 in early S&P+ ratings

Bill Connelly’s computatin’ machine did not at all care for NC State’s uneven performance against James Madison in Week 1, and that had the Wolfpack down at No. 58 in S&P+ heading into the Georgia State contest. After that blowout win, NC State is up to 45th.

This feels more accurate to me (and it should be) than the human polls, which suggest that NC State rates somewhere in the 25-35 range. The Pack’s overall effort was better against a Georgia State group that almost certainly isn’t as talented as JMU, but it’s safe to say there’s still a lot of room to improve. The Wolfpack ain’t playing like a top 25 team just yet.

But it could certainly be worse, and a look around the rest of the ACC will drive that home for you. Especially when you see where UNC is sitting after losing at East Carolina yesterday. (Heh.)