Two-game road stint: NC State looks to extend winning streak Saturday against Wake Forest
Posted November 6, 2023 2:34 p.m. EST
Updated November 6, 2023 4:53 p.m. EST
Raleigh, N.C. — NC State is looking to build on its two-game winning streak now that head coach Dave Doeren is the program’s all-time winningest coach.
Doeren said he celebrated Saturday’s 20-6 win against Miami with a family and friends tailgate after the game in the parking lot of Carter-Finley Stadium. The win secured bowl eligibility for the Wolfpack and marked Doreen’s 78th win with the program.
“It was fun,” Doeren said. “[I] woke up the next day and turned the page.”
NC State (6-2, 3-2 ACC) begins a two-game road stint on Saturday against Wake Forest (4-5, 1-5 ACC).
“They’re better than their record,” Doeren said of Wake Forest.
The Wolfpack have won three of their last four games. The lone loss during the four-game stretch came against Duke.
“Not to take anything away from what Duke is,” Doeren said. “They’re a good program, but we didn’t play well in that game.
“And so, our guys were pissed. Coaches were as well. We wanted to get better, and I feel that what the best approach was to focus on what we can do, not what we haven’t done.”
The Demon Deacons have lost two consecutive games and five of their last six games. Last Thursday, Wake Forest lost 24-21 against Duke.
Saturday is Senior Day for Wake Forest.
Doeren mentioned how the Wolfpack are preparing for the Demon Deacons’ slow mesh-read offense under head coach Dave Clawson. He said it can be difficult to simulate in practice.
“It takes a little bit of work with your scout team coaches,” Doeren said. “Really, the timing of when they do, do the mesh, the slow mesh as people like to call it.”
Last year, the Wolfpack won against the Demon Deacons, 30-21.
Kickoff between NC State and Wake Forest is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at Allegory Federal Credit Union Stadium. The game airs on the CW Network.
Tobacco Road rivalry games
Next season, the Tobacco Road teams — NC State, North Carolina, Duke and Wake Forest — will each play each other.
On Monday, Doeren suggested having a trophy for the team that wins the most in-state games each season.
“Paint each side of [the trophy] the school color and let [the winning] team keep it,” Doeren said. “It would be awesome to have some kind of trophy for the four teams moving forward after this season because we are actually going to have bragging rights for a whole year based on that.
“We’ll see if anyone bites on that.”
NC State is scheduled to play Duke, North Carolina and Wake Forest through 2030.
However, while North Carolina and Wake Forest are scheduled to play each other in 2024 and 2025, the two teams aren't scheduled to play in 2026.
North Carolina and Wake Forest are scheduled to play again in 2027 and 2028. They are not scheduled to play in 2029 or 2030.
LB Payton Wilson named Butkus Award semifinalist
Payton Wilson made the semifinalist list Monday for the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top linebacker.
“He is the best defensive player in college football right now,” Doeren said of Wilson. “What his impact is on the field during a game, I just don’t know if anyone has that on their team.
“He’s impacting the course of the game throughout the game in every game, and it’s not like he just has a good game every now and then. Like, every game, he could be the defensive player of the week in the ACC. I think sometimes he probably doesn’t get it because they want to reward somebody else.”
Doeren said Wilson is everywhere, including run responsibilities, pass responsibilities, special teams, locker room leadership and in the community.
“I know we’re not done,” Doeren said. “There’s still work to do, but I’m thankful that they did put him on their list. It means a lot for him.”
