Wake Forest (1-3, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) at N.C. State (3-2, 0-1), Saturday, 12 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
BetMGM College Football Odds: N.C. State by 5 1/2.
Series record: N.C. State leads 69-42-6.
What’s at stake?
N.C. State had lopsided losses against ranked Tennessee and Clemson squads but can keep itself as a factor in the ACC race after losing its league opener to the Tigers. Wake Forest is looking for positives after getting off to its worst start through four games under 11-year coach Dave Clawson.
Key matchup
Wake Forest’s pass defense against N.C. State’s offense. The Demon Deacons rank 127th nationally in total defense (470.5 yards per game) and 107th in scoring defense (31.3). It’s been difficult to judge N.C. State’s offense after veteran transfer quarterback Grayson McCall exited the Louisiana Tech game with an unspecified injury, forcing true freshman CJ Bailey into the lineup in the Clemson loss and the grind-it-out win against Northern Illinois. Coach Dave Doeren has declined to discuss an exact timeline for when McCall might return.
Players to watch
Wake Forest: QB Hank Bachmeier. The former Louisiana Tech and Boise State quarterback has been effective in his first season with the Demon Deacons, throwing for 1,159 yards and five touchdowns with just one interception on a deflected pass last week.
N.C. State: WR KC Concepcion. He had three TD catches in the season-opening win against Western Carolina but was quiet in both losses before finding the end zone against Northern Illinois. Still, Concepcion is a big-play threat who doesn’t need much space to make an impact.
Facts & figures
N.C. State pushed past Northern Illinois behind a strong defensive effort that included four sacks and a defensive touchdown. … Wake Forest lost 41-38 at home to Northwestern last week when kicker Matthew Dennis hit the upright on a tying 42-yard field goal for the game’s final play. … N.C. State has lost only twice at home to Wake Forest in the past 40 years, first in 2006 (25-23) and then in 2018 (27-23). … The teams have met every season since 1910, making this the second-longest continuous series in the Bowl Subdivision ranks behind only Wisconsin-Minnesota (which has taken place every year since 1906). … N.C. State has won seven of its last eight home games against Wake Forest, the only loss coming in 2018. … The Wolfpack’s 26-4 home record dating to the 2020 season is tied with Michigan (.867) for win percentage for seventh nationally.
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