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NC State football is No. 15 on Bill Connelly's SP+ projections for 2022

MattCarterby:Matt Carter•02/09/22•

TheWolfpacker

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(Photo courtesy Ken Martin/The Wolfpacker)

ESPN’s Bill Connelly’s SP+ projections for 2022 are out, and as expected NC State football is rated highly, although Connelly himself admitted perhaps not as high as he originally anticipated.

The Wolfpack checked in at No. 15.

“I thought NC State might end up projected in the top 10, but regardless, this [ACC] title race will have three pieces: longtime heavyweight Clemson vs. upstarts NC State and Pitt (the defending champ) vs. two former heavyweights desperately trying to get their acts together (No. 20 Miami, No. 24 Florida State),” Connelly wrote.

Connelly had previously noted that NC State was the only team to finish in the top 15 a year ago in his SP+ rankings and to also be top-15 in the country in returning production. NC State was No. 12 in returnees, second best in the ACC behind Florida State at No. 11.

NC State’s defense, which ranked 19th nationally and third in the ACC in yards per game allowed at 330.8, had the fifth-most returning production.

Thus, unsurprisingly, Connelly’s analysis had the Wolfpack No. 8 nationally in his defensive SP+ projections. The NC State offense was No. 43.

Among ACC teams, Connelly had NC State with the second-best defense after Clemson, who was No. 1 in the country.

Here is a rundown of where the other teams on the NC State football schedule (not including Football Championship Subdivision opponent Charleston Southern) ranked in the SP+ projections:

5. Clemson (road, Oct. 1 — ACC opener for NC State)

24. Florida State (home, Oct. 8)

29. Louisville (road, Nov. 19)

40. North Carolina (road, Nov. 25)

47. Wake Forest (home, Nov. 5)

50. Texas Tech (home, Sept. 17)

58. Syracuse (road, Oct. 15)

59. Virginia Tech (home, Oct. 27)

76. Boston College (home, Nov. 12)

81. East Carolina (road, Sept. 3 — season opener for NC State)

127. Connecticut (home, Sept. 24)

ACC teams not on the NC State schedule: Pittsburgh (No. 13), Miami (No. 20), Virginia (No. 63), Georgia Tech (No. 92) and Duke (No. 117).

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