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NC State football lands another top 10 ranking for 2022

MattCarterby:Matt Carter•05/05/22•

TheWolfpacker

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RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 26: North Carolina State Wolfpack running back Trent Pennix (6) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the NCAA football game between the North Carolina State Wolfpack and the North Carolina Tar Heels at Carter-Finley Stadium on November 26, 2021 in Raleigh, NC. (Photo by William Howard/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Prior to spring, USA Today did not have NC State football ranked in its way-too-early top 25. Apparently after further analysis, they have had an epiphany.

NC State is No. 10 in the post-spring top 25.

“It’s fair to include the Wolfpack among the title contenders in the ACC and maybe have expectations for something bigger if everything jells together,’ Erick Smith wrote. “They’re full of experience with the most returning starters in the conference. The defense returns almost its entire starting lineup after finishing in the top 20 in scoring and pass efficiency. There’s one first-team all-conference choice on each level. The offense looks in good hands with Devin Leary is coming off a season where he threw for 3,433 yards and 35 touchdowns. A running back needs to step forward and the running game overall needs improvement to fulfill the high expectations.”

Only two other teams that were not ranked in his initial top 25 jumped into the rankings — Pittsburgh at No. 22 and Tennessee at No. 25. Clemson is the highest-rated ACC team at No. 5, with Wake Forest also checking in at No. 17.

Smith is not alone in his expectations. 

In his updated version of the way-too-early top 25 for college football in 2022, ESPN’s Mark Schlabach doubled down on his bold prediction of NC State football being a top 10 team.

Instead of having the Wolfpack checking in at No. 8, as he did in his previous version, NC State is now at No. 7.

“With so many starters coming back, there weren’t many areas of concern for the Wolfpack this spring,” Schlaback wrote. “But one of them was replacing Ekwonu, the starting left tackle, who might be a top-five pick in the NFL draft. Sophomore Anthony Belton got the first chance this spring, followed by Timothy McKay. With top rushers Knight and Person departing, Jordan Houston, who ran for 83 yards in 2021, left the spring as the No. 1 running back. Quarterback Devin Leary picked up where he left off from last season, throwing for 355 yards with three scores in the spring game.”

This comes after the 2022 ESPN Football Power Index (FPI) were released and, perhaps lower than expected, NC State football checked in at No. 26.

Schlabach questioned how the Wolfpack could be outside the top 25.

In a roundtable of ESPN college football writers, when asked, “Which team is ranked too low,” Schlabach went with NC State football.

“I’m not sure the Wolfpack shouldn’t be the favorites in the ACC, and FPI has them ranked No. 26, behind conference foes Clemson, Pittsburgh, Miami and North Carolina,” Schlabach wrote. “NC State might have won 10 games in a season for only the second time in 116 years if their Holiday Bowl matchup with UCLA hadn’t been canceled because of COVID-19 issues. Quarterback Devin Leary might be a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender, after throwing for 3,433 yards with 35 touchdowns in 2021. Four starting offensive linemen are returning, although NC State will have to find capable tailbacks and a new No. 1 receiver. As many as 14 of the top 15 tacklers are expected back. The biggest question is if NC State can handle big expectations, and FPI apparently doesn’t think so.”

NC State is the highest ranked ACC team on Schlabach’s top 25. Clemson remained at No. 11 from his prior version, while Pittsburgh, who is not on the NC State football schedule, jumped from unranked to No. 15. Wake Forest fell from 14 to 17 and was the last ranked ACC team.

The Wolfpack plays at Clemson on Oct. 1 and hosts Wake Forest Nov. 5.

While there is general agreement that NC State football should be highly ranked in the preseason, it is not a consensus. CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd, for instance, did not have the Pack in his post-spring top 25.

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