NC State Falls to ND: Key Takeaways

NC State football lost to Notre Dame 45-24. Here are some important things to learn from this game.

Description

NC State football loses to Notre Dame 45–24, but Payton Wilson's 10 stops and 2.5 sacks lead the Wolfpack.

Introduction

On September 9, 2023, the No. 10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the NC State Wolfpack fought hard at Raleigh, N.C.'s Carter-Finley Stadium.

The NC State Wolfpack senior defender Payton Wilson plays for the team. He has been chosen for the All-ACC team twice, and in 2022, he was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. 

Wilson is known for his lightning-fast speed and his ability to make big plays.

Wilson was all over the field during the game against Notre Dame. He made 10 stops, and 2.5 of them were sacks. 

He also caused a turnover and stopped a pass. Wilson's play was a bright spot in a tough loss for the Wolfpack.

Some of the best parts of Wilson's game against Notre Dame are listed below:

In the second quarter, he made a big sack on Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman, which caused him to lose the ball, which the Wolfpack then picked up.

In the third quarter, he made a hit that caused Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams to lose yards. 

This helped NC State score a touchdown.

In the fourth quarter, he made Notre Dame wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. lose the ball, which the Wolfpack then picked up.

Wilson's showing showed why he is one of the best linebackers in the ACC. 

He makes a big difference for the Wolfpack, and they'll need him to play well this season if they want to do well.

 The final score was 45–24, and the Wolfpack lost.

A Challenging Contest

The Wolfpack came into this game with a 1-1 record and hoped to build on their previous win against UConn. 

They got better in a lot of ways, but especially on the defence side. But their efforts weren't enough to beat a strong Notre Dame team. 

Notre Dame had an excellent 3-0 record, with wins over Tennessee State and Navy by a combined score of 98-6.

Sam Hartman is the Notre Dame Fighting Irish's junior quarterback. He has been a starter for two years and is one of the best passers in the ACC. 

Hartman is known for having a good arm and making plays outside of the pocket.

Hartman played very well in the game against NC State. He made 22 of the 35 passes he tried, and three of them went for scores. 

He also gained 20 yards by running. Hartman's play was an important part of Notre Dame's win.

Some of the best parts of Hartman's game against NC State are listed below:

In the first quarter, he threw a touchdown pass of 47 yards to Kevin Austin Jr.

In the second quarter, he hit Braden Lenzy with a 24-yard touchdown pass.

In the fourth quarter, he gave Michael Mayer a 3-yard touchdown ball.

Hartman's showing showed why he is one of the best quarterbacks in the ACC. He is a quarterback who can use both his arm and his legs to beat you. 

If Notre Dame wants to do well this season, he will have to play well.

Steps Forward and Struggles: The Defence

NC State's defence had some great moments, like when Notre Dame had to punt on its first two runs. 

But they also gave up some big plays, such as Audric Estime's 80-yard score run. In the end, the Wolfpack defence gave up 45 points, which was the most points they had ever given up during the season.

Offensive Struggles

In this game, the Wolfpack offence also had trouble. Brennan Armstrong, the quarterback, made three interceptions, and the receivers dropped a number of passes. 

The Wolfpack could only come up with 24 points, which was their season low.

NC State is hurt by fines

In this game, NC State was also hurt by penalties. The Wolfpack got flagged 12 times for a total of 95 yards. 

This gave Notre Dame more chances to score.

The game between NC State and Notre Dame was held at Raleigh, North Carolina's Carter-Finley Stadium. 

The stadium can hold 56,919 people, but it wasn't quite that many for this game. There were 54,000 people there, which is still a good number for a college football game.

The stadium was packed to capacity, and the mood was electric. Both teams' fans were loud and cheered for their teams, which made the game fun to watch.

The fact that so many people came to this game shows how big college football is in North Carolina. 

Both NC State and Notre Dame have strong fan bases, and the game gave fans of both teams a chance to see two of the best teams in the ACC.

When they go to Boston College next week, the Wolfpack will try to get back on track. Since Boston College is a 500 team, NC State will have a good chance to win and get back on track.

If the Wolfpack want to beat Boston College, they will need to play better on both sides of the ball. 

Their defence needs to get better because Notre Dame scored 45 points against them. They will also need to get their offence going. Against the Irish, they only got 24 points.

NC State should be able to beat Boston College and get back to it.500 if they play better next week. 

But it will be a hard game, and the Wolfpack will have to be ready.

Here are some things NC State can do to make it more likely that it will beat Boston College:

They need to start running faster. The Wolfpack only ran for 100 yards against Notre Dame, so they will have to do better against Boston College's defence if they want to move the ball.

They need to cut down on their turnover. NC State turned the ball over three times against Notre Dame, and they can't do that against Boston College.

On defence, they need to do better. The Wolfpack's defence and tackles need to get better if they want to stop Boston College's offence. They gave up 45 points to Notre Dame.

If NC State can do all of these things, they should be able to beat Boston College and get back to 500. But it will be a hard game, and the Wolfpack will have to be ready.

Conclusion

In the end, NC State lost to Notre Dame, which had a better team. There were, however, some good things about this game. 

The Wolfpack defence got better, and they stayed in the game until the end of the third quarter. NC State should be a better team in the ACC this season if they get more experience and improve.

FAQs

What were the most important things to learn from the NC State vs. Notre Dame game?

The game's most important lessons were:

The NC State defence got better, but they still gave up 45 points.

Brennan Armstrong had trouble and threw three picks.

NC State was penalized 12 times for 95 yards, which hurt them.

When they go to Boston College next week, the Wolfpack will try to get back on track.

Which players stood out for each team?

Linebacker Payton Wilson, who had 10 stops and 2.5 sacks, and wide receiver Devin Carrington, who had 6 catches for 85 yards, were NC State's best players.

The best players for Notre Dame were quarterback Sam Hartman, who threw for 282 yards and three touchdowns, and wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr., who caught 5 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown.

What does NC State need to do to beat Boston College in their next game?

For NC State to win their next game against Boston College, they need to:

Start up their running game. The Wolfpack only ran for 100 yards against Notre Dame, so they will have to do better against Boston College's defence if they want to move the ball.

Cut down on their mistakes. NC State turned the ball over three times against Notre Dame, and they can't do that against Boston College.

Play defence better. The Wolfpack's defence and tackles need to get better if they want to stop Boston College's offence. They gave up 45 points to Notre Dame.

What should people expect from NC State this season?

This season, NC State is expected to be a strong team in the ACC. Brennan Armstrong, the quarterback, is the best player on their team. 

But if they want to reach their full promise, they will need to be more consistent.