Game To Watch: NC State vs Mississippi State: September 11, 2021
NC State will make the trip to Starkville to take on Mississippi State this Saturday at 7:00 EST. The Wolfpack began their season with an encouraging 45 – 0 win over South Florida. Mississippi State rallied in the fourth quarter and pulled out a 35 -34 win over Louisiana Tech. With a power five non-conference match-up coming up Saturday both teams will look to build on their season opening win.
Recent History
NC State and Mississippi State have played one another sporadically over their history and have split the six meetings. Mississippi State won the last meeting in the 2015 Belk Bowl 51 – 28. NC State’s last win in the series came in the 1995 Peach Bowl, 28 -24.
Top 25 Players
NC State
| Player | Rank |
|---|---|
| Zonovan Knight | #13 RB |
| Ikem Ekwonu | #25 OT |
| Grant Gibson | #7 G/C |
| Payton WIlson | #12 LB |
NC State Wolfpack Gear
Mississippi State
Mississippi State Bulldogs Gear
What To Watch For…
Can Mississippi State be Consistent on Offense?
The Bulldogs got off to a good start against Louisiana Tech. They forced two turnovers in the first quarter and punched in touchdowns on the ensuing possessions. After that, the offense went into hibernation for two quarters. On their next eight drives, Mississippi State punted 3 times, fumbled three times, threw a pick six and had the half run out on them. They woke up again in the fourth quarter, scoring touchdowns on all three possessions to come back and win the game, but the offense has to be more consistent throughout the game as the season progresses. North Carolina State shut out USF in week one and pulled away for an easy win, it will be difficult to fall behind and make a furious rally against the Wolfpack.
Will NC State’s RB Duo Control the Game?
North Carolina State features a pair of talented running backs that wear the defense down over the course of the game. The plan worked to perfection in week one as Zonovan Knight and Ricky Person both carried the ball 16 times and went over 100 yards rushing each. The Wolfpack ran for 293 yards and four touchdowns on 7.3 yards per carry, picking up chunks of yardage on the ground at will. With the ground game clicking Devin Leary was comfortable in the passing game leading to an efficient offensive performance. Mississippi State will need to disrupt that running game to force Leary into difficult situations. Louisiana State does not have the personnel or offensive philosophy to test the Bulldogs run defense like NC State will this weekend, if the Wolfpack control the line of scrimmage and eat up chunks of yardage in the running game they will be in great shape Saturday.
A Different Game for the NC State Defense.
The Wolfpack’ defense pitched a shutout against South Florida, but will face a very different offensive style on Saturday. North Carolina State intercepted three passes, recorded four pass breakups, seven tackles for loss and 10 QB hurries in a dominant performance. South Florida, however, is a team struggling to find their offensive identity. For all of Mississippi State’s struggles in the second and third quarter, it is very clear what Mike Leach and his team are trying to achieve offensively. They will spread the ball around to their receivers and test the opponents pass defense in every way it can be stretched. Mississippi State is focused on scoring quick and scoring often, using the running game just enough to keep a defense honest while passing for big plays all game. This will be a stark contrast to what NC State defended against USF and will provide a good indication of how good the defense really is.
Prediction
North Carolina State will be playing in a tough environment for the first time since 2019 and will lean on their running game early to settle into the game. The Bulldogs on the other hand, play at one speed and will look to be aggressive from the jump. That aggression may lead to a few big plays, but NC State’s defense will also take advantage and force turnovers. In the end, the Wolfpack have a more complete team and they will wear down Mississippi State and secure the win. NC State 34 Mississippi State 28.
Mike Leach in 2020 image taken by Skuhlke is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
For more content like this don’t forget to subscribe to our website.
For the latest content follow us on twitter @saturdayscfb & @cfbsaturdaysC or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CFBSaturday
