NC State football 2022 season prediction, preview, awards, 2022 bowl game

Dave Doren could’ve brought NC State football a 10-win season a year ago if not for some misfortune, but the Wolfpack might be better than ever in 2022.

A program that has one 10-win season in its history, NC State football has been much better in many years than that note would indicate, particularly since Dave Doren started manning the sidelines. But now comes a year in which experience and expectations are vast for the Wolfpack and one where they have the recipe to deliver double-digit victories for the first (and only) time this side of 2002.

But it’s never about what NC State looks like in the preseason and has everything to do with getting the play that they should between the sidelines.

Coming in at No. 10 on FanSided’s Preseason Top 50 Rankings, the NC State Wolfpack!

NC State football 2021 season in review

That elusive search for a 10-win season seemed potentially about to end a year ago for the Wolfpack as they were set for their bowl game against UCLA with a 9-3 record to their credit. Against a Bruins team that suffered through its own share of ups and downs, NC State was favored and seemed like an easy winner to get to 10-3. Of course, that wasn’t meant to be as the game was canceled due to a COVID outbreak within the UCLA program.

If Doren could go back, he would surely like a redo early in the season in a loss to Mississippi State that’s baffling in hindsight. But a victory over Clemson, even in a down year for the Tigers, will take the sting out of that, in addition to falling to rival Wake Forest and Miami.

Even still, it felt as if NC State often couldn’t get out of its own way. To be sure, injuries to the likes of Payton Wilson and other key figures on the defense did nothing to help the cause, but it was clear that quarterback Devin Leary offered the fastest path to success, yet a persistence on running the ball even in unadvantageous situations left meat on the bone.

In North Carolina, that’s a no-no. And it’s something that can be remedied to tremendous results in the 2022 season.

Previewing NC State Wolfpack offense for 2022 season

Returning starters (8): QB Devin Leary, OT Bryson Speas, OG Dylan McMahon, OG Derrick Eason, OC Grant Gibson, WR Thayer Thomas, WR Devin Carter, TE Trent Pennix
Newcomers: WR Daryl Jones (Maryland), OL Chandler Zavala (Fairmont State), 4-star RB Michael Allen, 4-star QB MJ Morris
Impact player: Devin Leary

Leary comes into the 2022 campaign as one of the best quarterbacks not just in the ACC but in the country. He was electric as a passer a year ago, leading one of the most productive and efficient attacks in the conference behind only Kenny Pickett and Pitt. And that was with persistence in running the ball even when it, frankly, didn’t make sense.

With Bam Knight and Ricky Person gone, there will be a change in the backfield but the team is high on Jordan Houston. And even with Emeka Emezie gone, the No. 2 and 3 pass-catchers from last year return with Thayer Thomas and Devin Carter. There should be an enhanced focus on Leary airing it out with a splash of Houston in the mix to make this offense hum.

There is at least a question or two on the offensive line with Ikem Ekwonu gone from the fold but there is a bevy of experience that should step in and create an effective unit as some guys, Bryson Speas in particular, shuffling positions.

Previewing NC State Wolfpack defense for 2022 season

Returning starters (7): DE Cory Durden, DE Savion Jackson, LB Drake Thomas, NB Tyler Baker-Williams, CB Derrek Pitts Jr., CB Shyheim Battle, S Tanner Ingle
Newcomers: CB Dreshun Miller (Auburn), 4-star LB Torren Wright
Impact player: LB Payton Wilson

Having seven returning starters would be great in its own right, but the NC State defense will be even more experienced than that would indicate. They have a breadth of talent on every level returning this season with guys like Cory Durden and Drake Thomas coming off of phenomenal seasons for the Wolfpack, but the biggest factor for this unit will be the guys who are getting back onto the field.

Payton Wilson looked on track to being a high-end draft pick at linebacker coming into last year but missed all of the year with shoulder injuries (both of them). Now he’s back, healthy and could be one of the best defenders in the ACC this side of Clemson. Meanwhile, linebacker Isaiah Moore and nose tackle C.J. Clark, both of whom were also out with injuries in 2021, are back in the fold too.

This defense is going to be a calling-card for this team and could make it a nightmare for opponents to keep pace with the Wolfpack if Leary can deliver on his promising potential coming into the year.

NC State football players awards watch for 2022 season

Several NC State players have earned their spots on preseason awards watchlists, but these three candidates stand out.

Devin Leary, Maxwell/Davey O’Brien

No surprise, but Leary is going to get a ton of love this season. He’s on the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien after throwing for just short of 3,500 yards in 12 games and should be able to even better those numbers if the offense relies on him more heavily and consistently throughout the year.

Grant Gibson, Rimington

Gibson has been manning the center position in Raleigh for some time now and has performed phenomenally in doing so. He’ll be one of the veteran leaders of the group in the trenches that should perform admirably even with Ekwonu out of the picture.

Isaiah Moore and Drake Thomas, Butkus

Interestingly enough, Moore and Thomas probably aren’t the best linebackers on the defense with Payton Wilson returning to the field. My expectation is for Wilson to find his way into the Butkus race pretty quickly but Moore and Thomas being on the watchlist shows just how talented that group is.

NC State football biggest game on 2022 schedule

Pretty easy call here. Most everyone is expecting a bounce-back season from Clemson after they were mired with an ineffective offense a year ago, so the trip to Death Valley for NC State on Oct. 1 is going to be circled on the calendar.

Doren’s Wolfpack got one up on the Tigers last season but, again, it was an odd year for Dabo Swinney’s group of merry men. They are expected to again return to being a force that might run away with the ACC. But NC State is one of the best candidates to stop that plan in its tracks.

This game will be the ACC opener and will put the offensive line and Leary to a tremendous test. Moreover, we’ll also see if this experienced defense for NC State is able to put the clamps on whoever is at quarterback for Clemson and make them remember what that unit looked like in the 2021 season.

What happens in this game could determine just how far the Wolfpack can go this season, meaning if they’re a dark horse College Football Playoff contender or just a team with New Year’s Six chances.

NC State football best-case scenario

It’s an easy start to the season for the Wolfpack with four straight home games against East Carolina, Charleston Southern, Texas Tech and UConn. I don’t care how you look at that, NC State is getting a 4-0 start before they head into Clemson.

While I understand that Clemson has more talent and should be favored in Death Valley for the Oct. 1 showdown, the fact of the matter is that we have no real reason to believe this offense is going to be that much better in the 2022 season. D.J. Uiagalelei hasn’t proven he’s an elite college quarterback, the offensive line recruiting hasn’t been there, and they made an in-house hire to replace Tony Elliott. With NC State’s prowess as a high-powered passing attack and a quality defense of their own, they can win this game.

That leads us into an end-of-season schedule for NC State that shouldn’t be daunting but has some trap games. Wake Forest is an unknown given the status of Sam Hartman, but Doren’s team could have the advantage either way. Boston College, Louisville and UNC could all be tricky too, but the best-case scenario for this team should be a legitimate 12-0 thanks to a relatively soft schedule with the toughest test being at a Clemson team that could fall short of expectations again.

NC State football worst-case scenario

Frankly, the worst-case scenario for NC State is seeing more of what happened last year that hindered this team. If there are key injuries, if the offense doesn’t lean more heavily into Leary and the passing game, and if they get caught sleeping, there are games that this Wolfpack team can lose.

For my money, that recipe would still have them at 6-1 coming into their off week as the non-conference slate and games against Florida State and Syracuse don’t scare me. But if they aren’t fully in tune to what their potential can be, the worst case for this team would be dropping two of their final four against Wake, BC, Louisville and UNC. Even still, that would leave the team at 9-3 with a chance still at 10 wins, which speaks to the high floor that experience and talent in Raleigh this year bring to the table.

NC State football 2022 season prediction

NC State football is getting the second 10-win season in program history and, in fact, the second 11-win season, at minimum.

The only loss I have on this schedule is against Clemson. The defense for the Tigers is stout enough that, even if the offense isn’t delivering as hoped, they can still win a game for Dabo. But every other game on this schedule, when I look at the talent and depth for NC State, I don’t see them tripping up with a group that should be so motivated and capable.

With some help (namely, two Clemson upsets), NC State could finish at 11-1 on the season and 7-1 in the ACC to make the conference title game. Regardless, they’ll be bowling in the New Year’s Six if that happens with a chance at 12 wins.

NC State football 2022 bowl game prediction

CBS Sports analyst Jerry Palm has Doren’s Wolfpack playing the Texas Longhorns in the Cheez-It Bowl on Dec. 29. Frankly, that would be a bit disappointing as I expect bigger things from NC State this season, but would still not be a forgettable postseason berth either.

Even still, my prognostication has this team playing in a New Year’s Six bowl, perhaps either the Cotton Bowl or Orange Bowl.

Up next: No. 9: USC Trojans

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