KEY MATCHUP: N.C. State secondary vs. North Carolina receivers. The Wolfpack has been chewed up on team with its pass coverage not up to par. North Carolina has capable receivers, particularly with WR Anthony Ratliff-Williams and emerging WR Dazz Newsome. To help the pass coverage, it would benefit N.C. State to crank up the pass rush on the Tar Heels. N.C. State has relied on S Jarius Morehead as one of its top tacklers but paying attention to pass coverage as a whole is something that needs to be a collective endeavor. The Wolfpack defense has six interceptions all season.
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 21 touchdown passes through 10 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 68.2 so far this season).
ROSTER REPORT
–DE Darian Roseboro, a senior, missed a game for this first time this season when he didn’t make the trip to Louisville because of an injury.
–C Garrett Bradbury has played all except for 17 offensive snaps this season. That’s 746 total snaps.
–K Christopher Dunn has 18 field goals this season, just two away from the single-season school record of 20. Dunn is a freshman who’s 39-for-39 on extra-point kicks.
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