RALEIGH — The NC State Wolfpack took care of business Saturday afternoon, pummeling the Campbell Camels 56-10 at Carter-Finley Stadium.
The game followed pretty much the exact script one would expect when a P4 team faces off against an FCS opponent, with the Wolfpack just completely overpowering the Camels and scoring on each of their first eight drives.
“Offensively and defensively, I felt like we played well and we expected to,” said NC State coach Dave Doeren. “We wanted to be aggressive with the playcalling on offense and build a lead. Obviously we wanted to be explosive and we were.”
NC State’s two biggest stars — quarterback CJ Bailey and running back Hollywood Smothers — had a day, with each bouncing back for huge performances after a bit of a down week against Virginia Tech.
Bailey, who played through just three quarters due to the blowout, finished the day with 337 yards on 20 for 23 passing and four touchdowns.
“CJ is playing well and he’s played well all year,” Doeren said. “He’s not going to be perfect and there’s plays he’s going to learn from, but he’s given us the chance to win, he’s playing hard, he’s making plays with his feet and he’s throwing catchable footballs down the field. I love how CJ’s playing.”
Smothers had 30 yards and a touchdown through the air, and on the ground, he had 123 yards and a touchdown… on just four carries.
“It takes a lot of pressure off of our passing game when he can run good,” Bailey said. “Every week, he’s been dominant and it’s been great to have a guy like Hollywood in our backfield.”
The offense ate all day long, with 13 different receivers getting touches (with eight finishing north of 20 yards) and the ground game going for over 200 yards.
In fact, NC State’s 482 first-half yards were the most in a half by an FBS team this season and their 49 points were the third most points in a half by a team in the NCAA this season.
“Offensively, we’ve had continuity, so we needed to take a huge jump from last week’s performance and we did,” Doeren said.
It was also a solid showing for the defense, and perhaps a much needed one for a unit who has struggled all season long.
The Wolfpack had some early worries: a couple of third-and-longs they failed to stop and then some miscommunication that led to an easy Campbell touchdown, but the team settled in as the game went along.
However, it is also perhaps concerning that Wolfpack lost the turnover battle 2-0 on the afternoon.
The Wolfpack’s mistakes weren’t egregious — a true freshman fumbling on a punt return and the backup quarterback throwing a pick in garbage time — but it’s the fact that the defense hasn’t been able to create turnovers virtually all year that’s the concern.
Even facing an FCS opponent, the Pack had just two sacks with no fumbles or interceptions forced.
Beggars shouldn’t be choosers and the Wolfpack won handedly in all phases of the game, but it’s almost assuredly an area that will come back to haunt the team this season if they can’t find ways to improve.
Special teams also has continued to have its struggles.
The Wolfpack had two fumbled punt returns and a holding penalty that canceled out a 78-yard punt return touchdown.
“What you do in practice has to show up in games,” Doeren said. “The special teams area continues to be a sore spot for me with our performances.”
However, perhaps the one bright spot on that side of the field for NC State is that they seemingly have solved their punt returning problems.
After freshman Teddy Hoffmann’s second fumbled punt return, the Wolfpack went to sophomore receiver Terrell Anderson and he immediately had a better showing.
“Obviously disappointing that catching a punt is so hard, but I think out of this, we’ve found our punt returner in Terrell Anderson,” Doeren said. “That might be the thing I’m most excited about coming out of the game. Finally getting a guy back there that knows what to do.”
The Wolfpack will have to hope that that success can carry over to next week with a big showdown against Notre Dame in South Bend.
“Next weekend is going to be a big one,” Bailey said. “I’m going to have to make a lot of plays with my arm and let guys do their job as well.”
