SEC Football: 5 teams on upset alert in Week 1
3. South Carolina Gamecocks
vs. NC State Wolfpack (Charlotte), Sept. 2, 3:00 p.m. ET
This game could have a bowl game like feel to it, and that’s meant in a good way. The teams meet for the first time since 2009 with the South Carolina Gamecocks winning the last two meetings.
However, this is another game that serves as more of a home game for the NC State Wolfpack than a neutral site game for the Gamecocks.
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The Gamecocks return tons of experience of offense in 10 starters but the Wolfpack also return eight starters on defense and one of the toughest defensive lines in the FBS. Defensive end Bradley Chubb leads the way after racking up 21.0 tackles for loss and 10.0 sacks in 2016 for the Wolfpack.
The Gamecocks ranked 116th in scoring offense last season (20.8 ppg) and averaged 134.4 rushing yards per game. The Wolfpack defense allowed 108.6 rushing yards per game last season, eighth in the FBS. If NC State can stifle the Gamecocks running game, fans could be chanting ACC instead of SEC before its all said and done.
The Wolfpack have made strides to improve as a football program is this season, they’re set to prove themselves against an SEC squad. They got tons of experience as they return 22 seniors from last year’s team. They should be ready to go out with a bang.