KEY MATCHUP: N.C. State WRs vs. Louisville secondary. The Wolfpack has been inclined to send most of the passes to the wideouts, with QB Ryan Finley finding some favorite targets. Of the 35 completions in the Wake Forest game, all of them except one went to receivers (the other to RB Ricky Person for two yards). N.C. State’s receivers are big targets. This is bound to cause trouble for Louisville’s defense, which has been ripped apart by big plays. If the Cardinals don’t find ways to keep tabs on the wideouts, it could be a huge offensive day for N.C. State.
DRAFT SLANT
–QB Ryan Finley stayed for his final year of eligibility and he’s showing that he can still make progress as his draft stock might be soaring this season. Finley has been solid with 17 touchdown passes through nine games. Among quarterbacks from schools in Power 5 conferences, only two returnees had more than Finley’s 3,518 passing yards last year. He had a completion rate of better than 65 percent last year (and 67.8 so far this season).
ROSTER REPORT
–WR Kelvin Harmon went through Senior Night activities prior to the game against Wake Forest even though he has a year of eligibility remaining. This heightened speculation he’ll opt to enter the 2019 NFL Draft.
–DT Shug Frazier, a redshirt sophomore, was back in action for the Wake Forest game after missing the previous game with an injury. He remained in his role as a reserve, and he was involved with one tackle in the Wake Forest game.
–K Christopher Dunn racked up 11 points in the loss to Wake Forest, going 3-for-3 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points. With 17 field goals this season, he holds the school record for a rookie kicker (with the previous mark of 11 by Nikolas Sade in 2011).
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