Wednesday Football Notebook
11/23/2016 9:21:00 AM | Football
Game Day Central | Game Notes
Game 12: NC State (5-6, 2-5 ACC) at North Carolina (8-3, 5-2 ACC)
November 25, 2016 • 12 p.m. • ESPN/ACC Network Extra
Chapel Hill, N.C. • Kenan Stadium (63,000)
NC STATE VS. UNC
Although the Tar Heels hold a 66-33-6 overall mark over the Wolfpack, the record is much closer since the formation of the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1953. In those 63 years, the series mark stands at 35-28 in favor of the Tar Heels.
Since the turn of the century, the Wolfpack holds a 9-7 mark.
Friday's final regular season game will mark the 106th meeting in the series between the Wolfpack and the Tar Heels. The rivalry, which began in 1894, is the Wolfpack's oldest among ACC teams and the fourth-most played series in the ACC.
When the series began, the two teams actually played twice a year for several years (1894, 1899 and 1901). The series moved to an annual basis for 1919 through 1943 and then after a three-year hiatus, the Wolfpack and the Tar Heels have played every year since 1947 with one exception. In 1952, the game between the two teams was cancelled because of a polio outbreak on UNC's campus.
PACK LOOKS FOR BOWL ELIGIBILITY
NC State needs a win to gain bowl eligibility for the third consecutive season under head coach Dave Doeren. In 2014 NC State earned a berth in the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl, defeating Central Florida, while last season the Pack fell to Mississippi State in the Belk Bowl.
NC State is attempting to become bowl eligible for the sixth time over the last seven seasons.
DAYES FOR 1,000 YARDS
Senior running back Matt Dayes became the Wolfpack's first 1,000-yard rusher since T.A. McClendon in 2002 with his 76 yards against Miami. He is only the 8th individual player in school history to reach that goal and it marks only the 11th time an NC State runner has hit that magic mark.
Dayes currently ranks 3rd in the ACC in rushing - 38th in the FBS - with 1,015 yards.   He has rushed for over 100 yards in seven different contests this season - most for a Wolfpack runner since Joe McIntosh in 1981.
An impressive 53% (533 of 1,015) of his rushing yards have come from yards after contact in 2016.
Dayes hadn't played a game in 306 days before this year's season opener due to a season-ending foot injury suffered last season against Clemson (10/31/15).
PACK POSTS TOP OFFENSIVE NUMBERS
With at least one game left to play in 2016, the Wolfpack has posted some of the top offensive numbers in school history, including the 5th-best total yards per game mark.
Here's a look at where some of the Pack's 2016 offensive numbers rank in school history:
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JONES HITS CENTURY MARK
Free safety Josh Jones is having one of the best years of any defender in the ACC. The junior, who moved from strong safety prior to this season, leads the team in tackles with 103 and is the first player since 2013 to cross the 100 tackle mark and his 9.5 stops per game is the 3rd-best mark in the ACC. He ranks 4th in the league in solo tackles with 5.3 per game - the 28th-best mark in the FBS.
Jones has also picked off two passes this season, and caused and recovered a fumble. He tallied 15 tackles against Boston College and Miami - the most for a Pack player since 2012.
STOPPING THE RUN
NC State has put together one of the most solid run defenses in school history in 2016. If the season ended today, the 102.1 yards allowed on the ground would rank as the 2nd-best mark by a Wolfpack squad since 1953.
Here's a look at the top run defenses ever at NC State:
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STOPPING THE RUN, Part 2Â Â Â
The Wolfpack rush defense mark of 102.1 yard allowed per game ranks 7th in the FBS and 3rd in the ACC.
Five 2016 opponents have been held to less than 70 rushing yards: William & Mary, Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Florida State and Syracuse. That ties the school record set by the 2014 Wolfpack squad.
The 163 rushing yards by Louisville was the most against the Wolfpack all season. However, that mark was 142.7 yards less that what the Cardinals were averaging on the ground heading into the contest (305.7 rushing ypg).
In the past three years combined, NC State has held 14 opponents to less than 70 rushing yards (five this year, four in 2015 and five in 2014).
CHUBB IS BIGGEST LOSER
Defensive end Bradley Chubb has been a big loser for the Wolfpack in 2016. The junior has 19.5 tackles for loss this season, a mark which ranks 7th in school history.
Chubb currently leads the ACC and ranks 3rd in the FBS in TFLs, while his 9 sacks is the league's 4th-best mark and ranks 20th nationally.
For his career, Chubb has tallied 31.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage, a mark that ranks 14th in school history. He had a season high four TFLs in the Nov. 12 over Syracuse.
RECEIVERS ROLL
In 2015, wide receivers accounted for just 46% of the Wolfpack's total receptions (114/246). This season, the Wolfpack's young wideouts are playing a bigger role in the passing game.
Heading into Game 12, 61% (140/230) of the team's receptions have had wide receivers as the target. Although the team is still led in receiving by TE/FB Jaylen Samuels (47-450), Nyheim Hines has moved into 2nd place with 35 grabs. WRs Stephen Louis (533) and Kelvin Harmon (458) lead the team in receiving yards.
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Almost half of the Wolfpack's 114 receptions by wide receivers last season (53) were caught by players who are not seeing action in 2016. Senior Jumichael Ramos was the second-leading receiver on the team last year (leading all WRs) with 34 grabs. He underwent knee surgery this summer and will redshirt this year.
Johnathan Alston had 18 receptions last season before moving to cornerback during spring drills.
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
One area where the Wolfpack coaching staff has made a concerted effort to build depth has been on the offensive line. Despite returning just two starters from last season, the Pack fielded a strong unit in 2016 - ranking 24th in the FBS in sacks allowed.
That group should be even stronger next season. Only one starter (Joe Scelfo) and one other player (Bryce Kennedy) are completing their eligibility, while four starters (OG Tony Adams, OG Garrett Bradbury, LT Tyler Jones, RT Will Richardson), backup T/G Terrone Prescod and several other young lineman who have seen limited action will return.
In addition, SEVEN offensive linemen have redshirted in 2016 and have gone through the Wolfpack's Developmental Program. Here's a look at some of the offensive linemen who did not see action this season.
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HARMON(Y)
True freshman wide receiver Kelvin Harmon has set a school record for touchdown receptions by a freshman with five this season. The Palmyra, N.J. native's 458 receiving yards is the 3rd-best mark ever by a Pack rookie.
Harmon leads the team in touchdown catches and almost five of his 26 total catches have been for touchdowns.
Against Syracuse, Harmon became the 5th Wolfpack receiver to turn in a 100-yard game in 2016 - a mark that ranks 2nd nationally.
Harmon has started three games in 2016, more than any other true or redshirt freshman. True freshman Thaddeus Moss (TE/FB) has two starts, while RS-freshman Jarius Morehead (SS) started one contest as well.
YOUNG FINLEY PLAYS LIKE VET
Because he's already earned his college degree, people tend to think of Wolfpack quarterback Ryan Finley as a seasoned veteran, when in fact the RS-sophomore is only in his first season as a collegiate starter.
With one regular season games left to play, Finley has already posted the best passing yardage total ever by a Wolfpack sophomore and his 2,673 yards ranks 9th overall in school history. Â
He ranks 17th in the single-season record book with 15 touchdown passes.
Finley posted his third-straight 300-yard passing game in the Nov. 12 win at Syracuse, making him the first NC State QB since Russell Wilson in 2010 to accomplish that feat.
Heading into the game against No. 3 Clemson on Oct. 15, Finley boasted the nation's third-longest interception-free streak. Prior to a second-quarter pick, the Phoenix, Az., native had thrown 139 passes this season without an INT and had a streak of 146 attempts without a pick dating back to last season at Boise State. Â
In the last 37 seasons (since 1980), no other Wolfpack QB had attempted more passes before throwing his first interception as a starter at NC State. Â
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Game 12: NC State (5-6, 2-5 ACC) at North Carolina (8-3, 5-2 ACC)
November 25, 2016 • 12 p.m. • ESPN/ACC Network Extra
Chapel Hill, N.C. • Kenan Stadium (63,000)
NC STATE VS. UNC
Although the Tar Heels hold a 66-33-6 overall mark over the Wolfpack, the record is much closer since the formation of the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1953. In those 63 years, the series mark stands at 35-28 in favor of the Tar Heels.
Since the turn of the century, the Wolfpack holds a 9-7 mark.
Friday's final regular season game will mark the 106th meeting in the series between the Wolfpack and the Tar Heels. The rivalry, which began in 1894, is the Wolfpack's oldest among ACC teams and the fourth-most played series in the ACC.
When the series began, the two teams actually played twice a year for several years (1894, 1899 and 1901). The series moved to an annual basis for 1919 through 1943 and then after a three-year hiatus, the Wolfpack and the Tar Heels have played every year since 1947 with one exception. In 1952, the game between the two teams was cancelled because of a polio outbreak on UNC's campus.
PACK LOOKS FOR BOWL ELIGIBILITY
NC State needs a win to gain bowl eligibility for the third consecutive season under head coach Dave Doeren. In 2014 NC State earned a berth in the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl, defeating Central Florida, while last season the Pack fell to Mississippi State in the Belk Bowl.
NC State is attempting to become bowl eligible for the sixth time over the last seven seasons.
DAYES FOR 1,000 YARDS
Senior running back Matt Dayes became the Wolfpack's first 1,000-yard rusher since T.A. McClendon in 2002 with his 76 yards against Miami. He is only the 8th individual player in school history to reach that goal and it marks only the 11th time an NC State runner has hit that magic mark.
Dayes currently ranks 3rd in the ACC in rushing - 38th in the FBS - with 1,015 yards.   He has rushed for over 100 yards in seven different contests this season - most for a Wolfpack runner since Joe McIntosh in 1981.
An impressive 53% (533 of 1,015) of his rushing yards have come from yards after contact in 2016.
Dayes hadn't played a game in 306 days before this year's season opener due to a season-ending foot injury suffered last season against Clemson (10/31/15).
PACK POSTS TOP OFFENSIVE NUMBERS
With at least one game left to play in 2016, the Wolfpack has posted some of the top offensive numbers in school history, including the 5th-best total yards per game mark.
Here's a look at where some of the Pack's 2016 offensive numbers rank in school history:
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| Category | Rk. | Mark |
| Pass Completions | 13th | 230 |
| Pass Attempts | 16th | 383 |
| Passing Yards | 10th | 2,919 |
| Passing Yards/Game | 7th | 265.4 |
| Completition % | 7th | .601 |
| Yards/Play | t-5th | 5.7 |
| Total Yards | 12th | 4,549 |
| Yards/Game | 5th | 413.5 |
| First Downs | t-13th | 239 |
JONES HITS CENTURY MARK
Free safety Josh Jones is having one of the best years of any defender in the ACC. The junior, who moved from strong safety prior to this season, leads the team in tackles with 103 and is the first player since 2013 to cross the 100 tackle mark and his 9.5 stops per game is the 3rd-best mark in the ACC. He ranks 4th in the league in solo tackles with 5.3 per game - the 28th-best mark in the FBS.
Jones has also picked off two passes this season, and caused and recovered a fumble. He tallied 15 tackles against Boston College and Miami - the most for a Pack player since 2012.
STOPPING THE RUN
NC State has put together one of the most solid run defenses in school history in 2016. If the season ended today, the 102.1 yards allowed on the ground would rank as the 2nd-best mark by a Wolfpack squad since 1953.
Here's a look at the top run defenses ever at NC State:
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| Rk. | Year | Yds. Allowed |
| 1. | 1953 | 98.3 |
| 2. | 2016 | 102.1 |
| 3. | 2004 | 102.4 |
| 4. | 1988 | 103.6 |
| 5. | 2005 | 107.2 |
STOPPING THE RUN, Part 2Â Â Â
The Wolfpack rush defense mark of 102.1 yard allowed per game ranks 7th in the FBS and 3rd in the ACC.
Five 2016 opponents have been held to less than 70 rushing yards: William & Mary, Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Florida State and Syracuse. That ties the school record set by the 2014 Wolfpack squad.
The 163 rushing yards by Louisville was the most against the Wolfpack all season. However, that mark was 142.7 yards less that what the Cardinals were averaging on the ground heading into the contest (305.7 rushing ypg).
In the past three years combined, NC State has held 14 opponents to less than 70 rushing yards (five this year, four in 2015 and five in 2014).
CHUBB IS BIGGEST LOSER
Defensive end Bradley Chubb has been a big loser for the Wolfpack in 2016. The junior has 19.5 tackles for loss this season, a mark which ranks 7th in school history.
Chubb currently leads the ACC and ranks 3rd in the FBS in TFLs, while his 9 sacks is the league's 4th-best mark and ranks 20th nationally.
For his career, Chubb has tallied 31.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage, a mark that ranks 14th in school history. He had a season high four TFLs in the Nov. 12 over Syracuse.
RECEIVERS ROLL
In 2015, wide receivers accounted for just 46% of the Wolfpack's total receptions (114/246). This season, the Wolfpack's young wideouts are playing a bigger role in the passing game.
Heading into Game 12, 61% (140/230) of the team's receptions have had wide receivers as the target. Although the team is still led in receiving by TE/FB Jaylen Samuels (47-450), Nyheim Hines has moved into 2nd place with 35 grabs. WRs Stephen Louis (533) and Kelvin Harmon (458) lead the team in receiving yards.
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Almost half of the Wolfpack's 114 receptions by wide receivers last season (53) were caught by players who are not seeing action in 2016. Senior Jumichael Ramos was the second-leading receiver on the team last year (leading all WRs) with 34 grabs. He underwent knee surgery this summer and will redshirt this year.
Johnathan Alston had 18 receptions last season before moving to cornerback during spring drills.
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
One area where the Wolfpack coaching staff has made a concerted effort to build depth has been on the offensive line. Despite returning just two starters from last season, the Pack fielded a strong unit in 2016 - ranking 24th in the FBS in sacks allowed.
That group should be even stronger next season. Only one starter (Joe Scelfo) and one other player (Bryce Kennedy) are completing their eligibility, while four starters (OG Tony Adams, OG Garrett Bradbury, LT Tyler Jones, RT Will Richardson), backup T/G Terrone Prescod and several other young lineman who have seen limited action will return.
In addition, SEVEN offensive linemen have redshirted in 2016 and have gone through the Wolfpack's Developmental Program. Here's a look at some of the offensive linemen who did not see action this season.
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| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. |
| Kendall Brown | OT | 6'4 | 289 |
| Justin Chase | OT | 6'5 | 277 |
| Bryce Folsom | OT | 6'4 | 263 |
| Harrison Gee | OG | 6'3 | 277 |
| Ben Kaiser | OG | 6'3 | 250 |
| Joe Sculthorpe | OG | 6'2 | 289 |
| Justin Witt | OT | 6'6 | 296 |
HARMON(Y)
True freshman wide receiver Kelvin Harmon has set a school record for touchdown receptions by a freshman with five this season. The Palmyra, N.J. native's 458 receiving yards is the 3rd-best mark ever by a Pack rookie.
Harmon leads the team in touchdown catches and almost five of his 26 total catches have been for touchdowns.
Against Syracuse, Harmon became the 5th Wolfpack receiver to turn in a 100-yard game in 2016 - a mark that ranks 2nd nationally.
Harmon has started three games in 2016, more than any other true or redshirt freshman. True freshman Thaddeus Moss (TE/FB) has two starts, while RS-freshman Jarius Morehead (SS) started one contest as well.
YOUNG FINLEY PLAYS LIKE VET
Because he's already earned his college degree, people tend to think of Wolfpack quarterback Ryan Finley as a seasoned veteran, when in fact the RS-sophomore is only in his first season as a collegiate starter.
With one regular season games left to play, Finley has already posted the best passing yardage total ever by a Wolfpack sophomore and his 2,673 yards ranks 9th overall in school history. Â
He ranks 17th in the single-season record book with 15 touchdown passes.
Finley posted his third-straight 300-yard passing game in the Nov. 12 win at Syracuse, making him the first NC State QB since Russell Wilson in 2010 to accomplish that feat.
Heading into the game against No. 3 Clemson on Oct. 15, Finley boasted the nation's third-longest interception-free streak. Prior to a second-quarter pick, the Phoenix, Az., native had thrown 139 passes this season without an INT and had a streak of 146 attempts without a pick dating back to last season at Boise State. Â
In the last 37 seasons (since 1980), no other Wolfpack QB had attempted more passes before throwing his first interception as a starter at NC State. Â
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