NC State Keys to Victory vs Furman

RALIEGH NC – The NC State Wolfpack (1-1) prepares to bounce back in week 3 when they host the Furman Paladins (2-0) on Saturday night at Carter Finley-Stadium. The Wolfpack must avoid falling into a trap. They are big favorites in this contest, and despite Furman coming in at 2-0, they will be a much weaker opponent than what the Pack dealt with a week ago.

3 Keys to Victory & Score Prediction 

Get the offensive line going: The run game was non-existent versus Mississippi State, and whether it is fair to say or not, the blame has to be on the offensive line. This veteran group is heavily relied on for the offense’s success, and if they can not get it going and execute their assignments, it will be a long evening. The last thing the Pack wants to see is having Devin Leary attempting 49 passes again. But, on the other hand, protecting their QB and creating holes for their running backs will result in tremendous success. 

Home advantage: Fortunately, there will be no more cowbells, and the Pack will have their hometown faithful behind them to create havoc for Furman, who is not used to that type of environment. The Pack always seems to thrive off the crowd noise as it is a confidence booster for any home team. Expect Carter-Finley Stadium to get loud, and expect the noise to play a significant factor for the Pack.

Rack up the sacks: The lack of sacks so far from the Pack defense during the 2021 season has been a disappointment. If they want to come out victorious, they have to make Paladins QB Hamp Sisson feel pressured and force him to make mistakes. Sisson has tallied 4 touchdown passes in 2 games, including a 362-yard performance in their week 1 win. He has yet to face adversity this season, but if the Pack defense can step up and rack up 2-3 sacks, it could result in turnovers and poor offensive play from Furman. 

Game prediction: NC State has realistically no excuse not to win this football game. All signs point that this should be a relatively easy win, and to make that happen, they need to be effective on all three phases of the football. The Pack will avoid any type of trap and defeat Furman with ease by a score of 30-13.