NC State vs. Miami by the numbers

NC State and Miami finished almost dead even in total yardage, and the Wolfpack was better on a per-play basis, which helps drive home the whole “botched opportunity” thing. I wish we didn’t have to go through games like this every single year forever, but such is life.

(Yds/Rush calculated with sacks removed.)

Tyler Van Dyke easily played the best game of his young career, coming back after completing barely 44 percent of his attempts against UNC to hit on nearly 76 percent against NC State. Giving up nearly 10 yards per attempt to Van Dyke and the Hurricanes was a brutal performance for the Wolfpack defense and the worst effort of the season by far. Coming in, only Louisiana Tech averaged better than seven yards per attempt against State.

Two years in a row Miami torched State through the air and that was the difference. Two close games, two tough finishes. Who knows what just one takeaway would have done on Saturday.

Maybe nothing, given the offense’s problems with execution at key times. Among other issues, State finished just 3-14 on third downs, which was its worst conversion rate of the season. Let’s hope it stays that way.