Coming off back-to-back losses at residence for the primary time since 2019, North Carolina State will look to choose up a win on the street when it heads to the West Coast for the primary time this season within the new-look Atlantic Coast Convention to face California on Saturday afternoon in Berkeley, Calif.
NC State (3-4, 0-3 ACC) continues to be trying to find its first convention win. The Wolfpack have didn’t dwell as much as expectations after being picked to complete fourth within the ACC preseason ballot, garnering eight first-place votes. Heading into this recreation in opposition to the Golden Bears (3-3, 0-3), the Wolfpack appear to be in jeopardy of letting their season go off the rails.
The Wolfpack are coming off a house loss to Syracuse, wherein they misplaced by only one rating and misplaced the turnover battle 3-0.
“While you’re used to it, if you begin taking that stuff with no consideration, typically the soccer gods come again and remind you ways exhausting it truly is to win a recreation,” NC State coach Dave Doeren mentioned this week. “We will not take profitable with no consideration. We will not take methods to win with no consideration, the valuable particulars, the worth of discipline place and turnover margin.”
After Coastal Carolina switch quarterback Grayson McCall suffered his second head harm prior to now 12 months in NC State’s loss to Wake Forest on Oct. 5, true freshman CJ Bailey has taken the reins. Statistically, he had his greatest recreation but in opposition to Syracuse, finishing 17 of 24 throws for a season-high 329 yards and two touchdowns. However he additionally fumbled as soon as and threw an interception.
NC State turns the ball over 1.9 occasions per recreation, which is essentially the most within the ACC.
Cal has misplaced three video games in a row, however by a mixed eight factors. The Bears misplaced on the street at Florida State by 5, residence to Miami by one in a controversial ending, and most just lately at Pittsburgh by two. Two of Cal’s losses have been additionally to AP-ranked opponents.
In Cal coach Justin Wilcox’s opinion, the workforce’s drawback currently has been defending its quarterback. The Bears have allowed 24 sacks by means of six video games, which is the second-worst mark in FBS, tied with Colorado and trailing solely South Carolina.
“We will not get sacked a lot. All people’s concerned in that,” Wilcox mentioned. “We have got to throw the ball on time, we’ve got to guard the quarterback up entrance. The quarterback, there are occasions we are able to make higher choices.”
That quarterback is Fernando Mendoza, who has a completion proportion of 66.5 % and is averaging 8.1 passing yards per try, each of which rank within the prime 10 within the ACC.
Saturday’s recreation would be the first assembly between NC State and Cal in soccer.
–Discipline Degree Media
