Simulating NC State football's 2024 season on EA College Football 25

NC State kicks off its 2024 football season Aug. 29 against Western Carolina, but thousands of fans have already watched the program take the field on their televisions. The EA College Football 25 video game arrived with much fanfare, and the Wolfpack debuted with an 87 overall team rating.

Following the release earlier this week, TheWolfpacker.com analyzed the ratings and the roster for NC State. Then, we simulated the program’s 2024 season. Everything in this story is the computer-generated simulation of the Pack’s run through this fall.

TheWolfpacker.com took note of the game-by-game results, the individual and team stats, the postseason awards and, of course, where the program went bowling at the end of the year.

NC State finished the year 8-5. Let’s dive into how the Wolfpack got to that point.

Preseason notes

*** NC State is the preseason No. 22 team nationally in the preseason media poll and unranked in the coaches poll.

*** Kevin Concepcion was a preseason All-ACC first team selection at wide receiver, and cornerback Aydan White made the second team.

Game 1: No. 22 NC State 35, Western Carolina 8— (1-0)

Western Carolina is not actually in the game, but NC State easily beat “FCS East.” After a scoreless first quarter, the Wolfpack offense woke up and finished with 446 total yards of offense. Quarterback Grayson McCall completed 20 of 27 passes for 272 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception.

Running back Jordan Waters led the Pack on the ground with 14 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Dacari Collins hauled in 6 passes for 111 yards and 2 scores to pace NC State through the air. Defensively, lineman Travali Price and safety Sean Brown each recorded 3 tackles for loss, and safety Zack Myers recovered 2 fumbles.

Game 2: No. 19 NC State 34, No. 12 Tennessee 27— (2-0)

NC State traveled to Charlotte and pulled off a huge win over a top-15 Tennessee squad. The Wolfpack put up 407 yards of offense in the shootout win and held the Volunteers to 70 yards on the ground. McCall threw for 4 touchdowns and 292 yards, completing 24 of 29 passes. He also scored a touchdown on the ground, while Waters led the team with 64 rushing yards. Wide receiver Noah Rogers finished the night with an 8 reception, 114-yard, 2 touchdown performance. Collins also hauled in 2 scores. Linebacker Caden Fordham paced the program with 10 tackles.

Game 3: No. 15 NC State 39, Louisiana Tech 42— (2-1)

Louisiana Tech upset the Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium, holding off a late comeback attempt from NC State. After the Pack jumped out to a 21-7 lead, the visitors scored 28 unanswered points in the second and third quarters. McCall threw for 261 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception and paced the team on the ground with 48 yards as the Wolfpack struggled to get a rushing attack going.

Collins continued his dominant start to the season, catching 2 touchdowns during a 7 reception, 175 yard game. Myers took home the ACC and national defensive player of the week awards after hauling in an interception, forcing 2 fumbles, recovering 2 fumbles, scoring a touchdown and making 8 tackles.

Game 4: NC State 17, Clemson 31— (2-2)

Clemson racked up 398 yards of total offense in a two-score victory over the Pack. McCall threw for 225 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception, and Waters rushed for 77 yards on 14 carries, breaking off 2 runs of 20 yards or more. Collins once again led the team in receiving with 5 grabs for 90 yards and a touchdown. Linebacker Jayland Parker paced the program in tackles with 9.

Injury update through 4 games:

*** Defensive lineman Davin Vann– out for 12 weeks with a broken tailbone
*** Linebacker Sean Brown- out for 1 week with a torn labrum
*** Offensive lineman Jacarrius Peak– out for 2 weeks with a broken thumb

Game 5: NC State 35, Northern Illinois 23— (3-2)

NC State’s rushing attack woke up against the Huskies as the Pack ran for 175 yards and 2 touchdowns, winning the contest despite 4 turnovers. McCall played his worst game of the season so far with 195 yards, 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Waters racked up 131 yards on the ground on 18 carries and broke 6 tackles. Rogers caught 5 passes for 64 yards, while tight end Justin Joly hauled in 2 touchdowns. Cornerback Brandon Cisse led the defense with 6 tackles and 1 interception. Myers recovered 2 fumbles and forced another.

Game 6: NC State 46, Wake Forest 44— (4-2)

The Wolfpack knocked off an undefeated Wake Forest squad in overtime. NC State gave up 485 yards to the Demon Deacons and only rushed for 28 yards, but the hosts did not turn the ball over and McCall threw for 4 touchdowns. The quarterback racked up 328 yards through the air, including 132 yards to Collins, who scored twice on 6 receptions. Rogers also caught a pair of touchdowns. Waters ran for 23 yards on 12 carries. Cornerback Aydan White and Fordham each made 8 tackles to lead the defense, and Price recorded 1.5 sacks.

Game 7: NC State 34, Syracuse 29— (5-2)

Syracuse scored 16 fourth quarter points to make the game close, but NC State won its third-consecutive contest. Joly won ACC offensive player of the week after catching 4 touchdowns on 5 receptions for 57 yards. The Pack turned the ball over 3 times, but McCall tossed 4 touchdowns during a 250-yard day and Waters rushed for 108 yards. White led the defense with 8 tackles and a forced fumble.

Game 8: NC State 31, California 37— (5-3)

NC State gave up 27 second-quarter points and dropped its conference clash with California. The Pack slowed down star running back Jaydn Ott, who recorded 8 carries for 25 yards, but gave up 308 yards through the air. McCall threw for 281 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception. Rogers caught 6 passes for 86 yards and 2 scores. No one on the Pack rushed for more than 33 yards. For the third-consecutive week, White led the Pack with 9 tackles. He also forced 1 fumble, recovered 2 and scored a touchdown.

Injury update through 8 games:

*** Defensive lineman Davin Vann- out for 8 weeks with a broken tailbone

Game 9: NC State 28, Stanford 21— (6-3)

The Wolfpack’s rushing attack, and 14 unanswered fourth quarter points, helped NC State bounce back after the bye week. McCall threw for 177 yards and 2 touchdowns, adding 58 yards and another score on the ground. Waters also took 20 carries 60 yards. Collins led the Pack with 6 catches for 94 yards and 1 touchdown. Cisse and Fordham made 7 tackles, and Parker recorded 2 sacks.

Game 10: NC State 38, Duke 17— (7-3)

Fordham took home the national and ACC defensive player of the week honors with 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 tackles for loss and 4 total tackles in a dominant win at Carter-Finley Stadium. NC State finished the game with 398 yards of offense as McCall threw for 281 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Waters added 91 yards on the ground, Rogers caught 2 touchdowns and Collins scored once during an 88-yard performance. Safety Ja’Had Carter hauled in an interception.

Game 11: NC State 24, Georgia Tech 38— (7-4)

NC State racked up 421 yards of total offense but did not score in the first or fourth quarters during a road loss to Georgia Tech. McCall threw for 317 yards while completing 21 of 26 passes for 2 touchdowns and an interception. Collins put together another dominant 7 reception, 132 yard, 2 touchdown performance, and Waters carried the ball 20 times for 59 yards and a touchdown. Safety Devan Boykin led the defense with 8 tackles.

Game 12: NC State 31, UNC 30— (8-4)

The Wolfpack outscored North Carolina 14-3 in the fourth quarter to pull off a thrilling win on the road. Both teams totaled more than 400 yards of total offense. McCall tossed 3 touchdowns and finished with 339 yards. Waters rushed for 52 yards and a touchdown, and Concepcion racked up 140 yards on 7 catches for 2 more scores. White picked off the Tar Heels, forced a fumble and led the team with 9 tackles.

The Gasparilla Bowl: NC State 20, Texas Tech 28— (8-5)

NC State struggled on the ground with 60 rushing yards, and Texas Tech ran for 154 in the Wolfpack’s bowl loss. Vann won ACC defensive player of the week with a 2.5 sack, 1 tackle for loss performance. McCall threw for 268 yards and 1 touchdown in his final game with the Pack and also led the team with 54 rushing yards. Collins caught 6 passes for 95 yards, and Myers recorded 7 tackles.

Final season stats

*** NC State finished fifth in the ACC.

*** Grayson McCall— 261 for 367 passing (71 percent), 3,486 yards, 37 passing touchdowns (new school record), 12 interceptions, 413 rushing yards, 3 more scores

*** Top rushers: Jordan Waters (220 carries, 879 yards, 8 touchdowns), Hollywood Smothers (7 carries, 42 yards, 1 touchdown), Kendrick Raphael (10 carries, 28 yards)

*** Top receivers: Dacari Collins (71 receptions, 1,258 yards, 14 touchdowns), Noah Rogers (57 receptions, 709 yards, 11 touchdowns), Justin Joly (51 receptions, 689 yards, 7 touchdowns), Kevin Concepcion (36 receptions, 556 yards, 5 touchdowns)

*** Defensive leaders: Aydan White (70 tackles), Travali Price (11 tackles for loss, 7 sacks), Zack Myers (4 forced fumbles, 6 fumble recoveries), 6 players tied with 1 interception

Postseason awards

*** Collins, Joly, White, offensive lineman Anthony Belton and punter Caden Noonkester made the All-ACC second team.

*** Rogers made the conferences all-freshman squad.