NC State lands at No. 20 in final AP Poll

NC State is ranked in the final AP Poll of the season for only the fourth time this century and has its first top-20 finish since finishing at No. 12 back in 2002. The 2002 team won 11 games, and the 2021 squad was denied an opportunity at 10 wins thanks to UCLA’s COVID fiasco.

Not playing the bowl game also cost the Wolfpack a couple of spots in the final poll, but I suppose that was inevitable.

And the Pack will have another run at winning 10 games next season, good health and the football gods willing. It’s a safe bet that NC State will be ranked in the preseason polls when the time comes, probably somewhere in the 15-20 range unless the hype really flies through the roof.

Three other ACC teams finished ranked in the final AP Poll: Pitt, Clemson, and Wake Forest ended up 13th, 14th, and 15th. No sign of UNC, though. Not even one vote. I thought the Heels were supposed to be good this year?