Three ACC teams to not sleep on in 2024
By Justin Perez
NC State Wolfpack
Since Dave Doeren was hired to coach North Carolina State in 2013, the Wolfpack have been one of the more consistent teams in the ACC. NC State has won nine games on four different occasions since 2017.
NC State has never had a double-digit win campaign but almost accomplished that feat last year. They came up short against Kansas State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
Also, despite its inception in 2005, the ACC Championship Game has yet to see NC State appear. The school has been very close for so long when it comes to getting over that hump. 2024 could be the year in which that happens.
The Wolfpack can win ten games, play for the ACC title, and make the College Football Playoff for the first time. Those are realistic possibilities that NC State is facing this year.
The offense wasn't bad last year but wasn't explosive either. It was just a solid bunch that got the job done when needed. Pretty much, NC State was carried by their defense last year. Now in 2024, the offense is expected to do more.
The Wolfpack has had a long line of successful quarterbacks in recent memory. From Jacoby Brissett to Brennan Armstrong, there's been plenty of good QB play in Raleigh.
Now, there's a new signal caller in town. Coastal Carolina transfer Grayson McCall steps in to continue to theme to good play from football's most important position.
McCall is not a guy that will air it out and rip deep throws. However, he's mobile and very accurate. Over the last four years with the Chanticleers, McCall completed 70% of his throws and tossed 88 touchdowns to 14 interceptions.
He has tons of veteran experience that will allow him to flourish on the ACC stage. He'll have a good assortment of weapons at his disposal. Star wide receiver Kevin Conception is back after ranking third in the conference for receptions with 71.
He caught 10 touchdowns as well. Along with Conception are several transfers.
The most prominent is tight end Justin Joly who comes over from UConn. Last year, as a sophomore, he caught 56 balls for nearly 600 yards and two scores.
Two transfers will lineup with Conception on the outside Wesley Grimes from Wake Forest and Noah Rodgers from Ohio State. Grimes did see some action with the in-state rivals, catching 20 passes and four scores. Dacari Collins will also be a contributor.
While the running game weighed on Conception and former QB Brennan Armstrong, NC State is looking for more production from an actual tailback. They got a lead tailback through the portal with Jordan Waters.
Over the last two campaigns, Waters became a star at Duke. He ran for almost 1,400 yards and 20 touchdowns. He can also serve as a good catcher out of the flat when needed to be.
Waters will run behind an offensive line that returns veteran presences. The front five has been one of the more consistent strengths of the NC State program for quite some time and there is future NFL talent here, once again.
Anthony Belton is a candidate to get selected in the first round of next year's NFL Draft. He plays left tackle. Opposite of Belton on the right side is Jacarrius Peak.
Peak started the final six games of the 2023 season and will start heading into 2024. The interior features guards Timothy McKay on the right side and Anthony Carter Jr. on the left.
McKay got time at right guard after playing the tackle position the year before and is one of the better linemen in the country and has been a two-time semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy. Carter spent all of last year in the interior.
Zeke Corell will grab the starting spot at center after transferring from Notre Dame over the offseason. He was with the Fighting Irish for the last five years and was a Joe Moore Award semifinalist in 2023.
The defense will rely less on transfers in 2024 but will still be great. The unit was fourth in the country in interceptions last year.
NC State runs a 3-3-5 set. On the line, the ends do the most damage. Davin Vann is back for his senior season and serves as one of the best players in the country for getting into the opposing backfield. He ranked third on the team with 5.5 sacks in 2023.
Travail Price will be opposite of him and provide good size at the right end. The middle will be anchored by both Brandon Cleveland and Colorado transfer Chazz Wallace.
When it comes to the linebacking group, it's impossible to overlook nor understate the loss of Peyton Wilson. He was by far the best linebacker in all of college ball last year. The Wolfpack also lost Jaylon Scott. Despite that, NC State still has several good pieces in place to keep this train going.
Caden Fordham will man the middle and Sean Brown will serve as the perfect compliment on the outside.
Brown was the third leading tackler and Fordham was fifth. They have plenty of experience to carry the load. Also, Devon Betty will play a prominent role after appearing in all 13 games last season.
When it comes to the secondary, the Wolfpack has plenty of depth and options to roll out. The corners are Aydan White and Brandon Cisse will come back.
White is considered by some as the best CB in the conference. Devan Boykin is the best man in the secondary. He picked off three passes and recorded 54 tackles. He will start at strong safety. The portal is adding to the depth as well.
The most prominent names to come over are DK Kaufman from Vanderbilt, who'll start at free safety. Je'Had Carter from Ohio State will rack up the numbers and can play anywhere in the secondary.
The Schedule for North Carolina State is very generous. The squad does not have to play Florida State, Louisville, Pitt, Miami, Virginia Tech, SMU, and Boston College. The non-conference portion isn't all that big of a deal, except for a week 2 match with Tennessee in Charlotte on September 7th.
Two weeks after that, NC State faces its toughest ACC opponent Clemson. That's the one game that you can chalk up as a likely loss. Every other game is winnable.
After their Clemson match, NC State faces Wake Forest, Syracuse, Cal, Stanford, Duke, Georgia Tech, and rival North Carolina. The Cal game is on the road, which might be a problem for the team. Georgia Tech can pull off a shocker.
It's possible but as long as the offense doesn't misfire, the team should be good. They will most likely be in the hunt for an ACC title game appearance this year because of the manageable schedule.
Not to mention, the Pack will have five home games across six dates from September 28th to November 9th. Expect NC State to be in the hunt for their first ACC Championship Game appearance late in the year. They're due for one.