NC State football game predictions: VMI

NC State dropped to 1-1 on the year after its recent matchup with Notre Dame. VMI travels to Raleigh this weekend for a showdown at Carter-Finley Stadium. NC State has an opportunity to defend home turf with a dominant win and play a lot of its roster in the process.

The Keydets are also 1-1 after a win over Davidson and a loss to Bucknell. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET, and the contest will be broadcast nationally on The CW Network.

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Here are TheWolfpacker.com’s staff predictions for this weekend.

Ethan McDowell’s prediction for NC State vs. VMI

Earlier this week, I picked VMI to score 6 points against the Wolfpack in a rout. After further research into the Keydets, NC State heads into Saturday with a good chance at a shutout. Caden Beck, VMI’s redshirt-sophomore placekicker, is 0-3 on the year. He has also missed 1 of his 2 extra points, and I have a hard time seeing the Keydets reach the end zone.

Rashad Raymond, a solid redshirt junior running back, is averaging 4.4 yards per carry through two games. As a team, VMI averaged 1.9 yards per rushing attempt in those matchups, and its longest run on the year is 16 yards. The Wolfpack struggled to stop explosive runs at times against UConn and Notre Dame, but the Keydets should not pose much of a challenge in that department. NC State’s defensive front is also miles ahead of VMI’s previous opponents.

Redshirt junior quarterback Collin Ironside has 15 yards on the ground so far this year, and he is primarily a pocket passer. The Wolfpack defense could make VMI super one-dimensional offensively on Saturday. If that happens, the pressure from defensive coordinator Tony Gibson’s squad should overwhelm the opposing pass protection.

NC State has a chance to win this game by a massive margin. It is more talented and sharper in every phase of the game, so it should avenge the program’s 49-7 loss to the Keydets in 1946.

This is a game to build confidence and create a more cohesive unit in front of another sold-out Carter-Finley Stadium crowd. Hopefully, the starters are out by the fourth quarter.

Prediction: NC State 45, VMI 0

Previous predictions:

NC State 24, UConn 10 (Actual: NC State 24, UConn 14)

Notre Dame 27, NC State 20 (Actual: Notre Dame 45, NC State 24)

Noah Fleischman’s prediction

It’s been an up-and-down start to the 2023 season for NC State, which includes a 10-point road win at UConn and the 21-point home loss to No. 10 Notre Dame. But this weekend, the Wolfpack has an opportunity to build confidence with Virginia Military Institute visiting Carter-Finley Stadium. 

VMI, in its first season under coach Danny Rocco, hasn’t had the best of starts. After a close win over Davidson in the season opener, the Keydets dropped their first road game of the year in a 21-13 decision at Bucknell. 

That loss wasn’t a pretty one for VMI. Bucknell hasn’t posted a winning season since 2014 and suffered a 38-3 season-opening loss at James Madison earlier this fall. 

With that in mind, the Wolfpack have a prime chance to operate on both sides of the ball with relative ease before entering ACC play next week at Virginia. This is a game that can instill confidence and get NC State back on the right track after it allowed the Irish to score 21 fourth-quarter points in a runaway victory last weekend. 

I believe NC State will be able to hit its goal of nine explosive plays, and likely surpass that mark, in this contest against VMI. Quarterback Brennan Armstrong should be able to pick apart the Keydets’ defense, and the Wolfpack defense should be able to get after the QB at a high rate. 

Not only will NC State’s starters find success, but this is an opportunity for its reserves to play well as the score opens up at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Wolfpack should have no issues this week and should rout the Keydets. 

Prediction: NC State 52, VMI 3. 

Previous Predictions: N/A