NC State football countdown to kickoff: 66
The NC State football season opener for 2022 is at East Carolina on Sept. 3 — or 66 days away from Wednesday. The Wolfpacker continues its countdown for the season with a note about the number 66.
66: Significant moments involving the number 66 in NC State football history
• The 1967 NC State football team can make a strong case for being the best ever in program history. The 1966 team was not near as successful, but in hindsight offered strong clues of what was to come for the Wolfpack.
NC State began the year 1-4 that season, with two of those losses coming at No. 2 Michigan State and home to No. 8 Florida. However, on the back half of the schedule, the Pack went 4-1, including winning all four conference games. The result was a 5-5 record overall and 5-2 league mark that was second best in the ACC.
That became a springboard for the more famous 1967 squad that went 9-2 and in November was 7-0 with a win at No. 2 Houston under its belt and ranked No. 3 in the country.
In 1966, receiver Gary Rowe was a senior who had a memorable campaign. He caught 47 passes for 571 yards and also averaged an ACC best 25.2 yards per kickoff return. His receptions total would remain a school record for 22 years.
Yet, the rushing attack led by Don DeArment’s four 100-yard rushing games led the way. NC State had the best running offense in the ACC at 168.3 yards per contest, and on the other side of the line held teams to just 3.3 yards per rush and a league-best 251.5 yards per game of total defense.
The leader on the 1966 defense was College Football Hall of Fame defensive lineman Dennis Byrd, who was a first-team All-American during what was his junior season for NC State.
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• NC State football and former ACC rival Maryland have played each other 70 times. Four were ties. The other 66 results? An even 33-33 split.
• After going through the ups-and-downs of his rookie season in 2019, NC State football quarterback Devin Leary was having his breakout campaign in 2020 before breaking his leg in a home win over Duke.
Up to that point in the season, Leary had completed 66 passes for 890 yards and eight scores with just two interceptions. He had a 60.0 percent completion percentage.
• Leary is hoping to be the next Pack Pro at quarterback. One member of the fraternity is Mike Glennon, who remains fourth all-time in touchdowns responsible in NC State football history. Glennon accounted for 66 scores — 63 passing and three rushing. Leary is eighth with 51 (50 passing and one rushing).
Leary and Glennon have the two lowest rushing touchdown totals of anyone in the top 10 on the list.
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