What they’re saying after NC State football’s loss to Louisville 

NC State fell apart in the second half, and it allowed Louisville to cruise to a 13-10 win over the Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium on Friday night.

Here are what those who covered the game are saying about the Pack’s second loss of the 2023 season.

Ethan McDowell, The Wolfpacker — Defense dominates, offense pulls NC State’s season off course

“Louisville came into Friday night’s matchup leading the ACC in rushing at 237.3 yards. NC State shut out the Cardinals in the first half and held them at bay in the second. Despite the unit’s best effort to take control of a potentially monumental matchup, a lack of production from the offense led to the loss.

Wolfpack defensive coordinator Tony Gibson unveiled a perfect game plan, rattling Louisville signal-caller Jack Plummer with a unrelenting barrage of pressure and forcing him into 3 turnovers, but the well-executed scheme did not matter in the end. The Pack scored just 3 points off of those giveaways.

Linebacker Payton Wilson (10 tackles, 2 sacks) and safety Sean Brown (8 tackles, 2 sacks) starred for the Pack, but those efforts ended in losses after the Pack punted or turned the ball over on all 7 of its second half possessions.”

Noah Fleischman, The Wolfpacker — NC State’s Payton Wilson focused on keeping Wolfpack as ‘one unit’ after Louisville loss

“Shortly after NC State’s 13-10 loss to Louisville on Friday night, graduate linebacker Payton Wilson stood in front of the team inside the locker room at Carter-Finley Stadium. He delivered a postgame message that Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren thought was important. 

Wilson, the red and white’s longtime defensive leader, was there to pick his teammates after the tight loss to the Cardinals. The Hillsborough, N.C., native maintained his consistent play with 10 tackles, including two sacks, a pass breakup and a first down on a trick punt. 

But that didn’t matter after the game to Wilson. He was focused on leading as well as he has played during his final season in Raleigh.

“We’ve been here before, we just have to stick together as a team,” said Wilson, who was still wearing his white undershirt less than an hour after the loss. “There’s no team out there that wins when it’s offense vs. defense. We have to stay together as one, that’s been our identity, that’s been our culture here — through good, through bad, we’re always one unit.”

Luke DeCock, News & Observer — Be happy NC State bothered to show up, because that’s about all Wolfpack had to offer

“To put words in Dave Doeren’s (newly NSFW) mouth, “S—, be happy we even bothered to show up.” 

N.C. State couldn’t even clear his “S—, be happy we won” lowering of the bar after a tepid win over a terrible Virginia team last Friday. If this keeps up, they’re going to have to put eye-wash stations all over Carter-Finley. 

There were boos on the Wolfpack’s first possession, one of many three-and-outs, and that was in a half when things actually went relatively well. By the time N.C. State blew a 10-point lead and gave up 13 unanswered second-half points in a 13-10 loss to Louisville on Friday, the fans were at least booing the officials instead after a controversial running-into-the-kicker call extended Louisville’s final drive and deprived the Wolfpack of valuable seconds, not that the offense was capable of doing anything with them.”

C.L. Brown, Courier Journal — Brown: Louisville football DB Cam Kelly gets redemption after last showing at NC State

“RALEIGH, N.C. — For Louisville football, Friday night’s 13-10 win at N.C. State was a hard-fought road victory to keep them unbeaten on the season. For safety Cam’Ron Kelly, it was redemption two years in the making.

The Chesapeake, Virginia, native, who prefers to go by “Cam” because people mistakenly pronounce his name “Cameron” instead of like two first names, “Cam-Ron,” experienced one of the lowest points in his football career on his last trip to Carter-Finley Stadium in 2021.

“Go make the play,” was the mantra Kelly took from that defeat, when he was a starting safety for North Carolina and he was part of the reason the Wolfpack rallied from nine to win in the closing minutes.”

Alexis Cubit, Courier Journal — Defense delivers: Louisville football wins at NC State as Jeff Brohm’s Cards improve to 5-0

“Penalties were a problem for both teams but were costly for Louisville early. On fourth-and-2, Louisville tried a trick play that would’ve resulted in a first down except for a holding penalty. U of L’s defense was on its way to a third consecutive three-and-out to start the game, but a hands-to-the-face penalty allowed the Wolfpack to earn its initial first down.

A running-into-the-kicker penalty worked in Louisville’s favor late, however, keeping the Cardinals’ drive alive with 2:44 to go.”