Aug 283 min read

NC State Hosts Western Carolina in 2024 Season Opener

Dave Doeren — © Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

NC State plays Western Carolina at 7 p.m. EST, Aug. 29 in Raleigh, N.C. to help get the rust off before facing a ranked Tennessee squad next weekend. The Wolfpack will be entering the season ranked No. 24 in the AP Poll while the Catamounts finished last season with a winning record, at 7-4, for just the second time since 2017.

What’s at Stake?

NC State returns 13 starters to a team that finished last season 9-4. That record included three losses to ranked teams and a loss to Louisville, who made it to the ACC Championship. Most of the returning starters are on the offensive side of the ball and will team up with Coastal Carolina transfer QB Grayson McCall. The defense was hit harder in the offseason but brought in a number of talented players to help fill those gaps.

Western Carolina will roll into town with the SoCon Preseason Offensive Player of the Year in junior quarterback Cole Gonzales. Gonzales isn’t your typical run heavy FCS quarterback. He will attempt to beat the Wolfpack defense through the air, after throwing for over 2,000 yards last season. The Catamounts defense allowed their opponents to average a little shy of 28 points per game in 2023. They’ll need an extra gear to keep the Wolfpack below that number.

Key Players: NC State

QB Grayson McCall: McCall comes in from Coastal where he threw for over 10,000 yards and was 88-14 in TD to INT ratio. He is also a threat in the running game. Expect to see McCall show off his arm and his legs as he looks to prove why he was brought into the Pack.

RB Jordan Waters: The Duke transfer hopes to get the people of Raleigh happy he’s on their side now. If the Wolfpack jump to an early lead, expect a heavy dose from Waters as they control the clock and tempo in this one.

LB Sean Brown: Brown makes the move from S to LB this season after the Wolfpack lost LB Payton Wilson to the NFL. Brown was last season’s third leading tackler but expect that number to jump significantly this season.

Key Players: Western Carolina

QB Cole Gonzales: The Catamount offense runs through Gonzales, which is comical since Gonzales isn’t much of a runner (54 carries, 203 yards, 3.8 average, 0 TDs). While his passing game is his strength, he doesn't throw the ball deep. His average was only 9 yards per attempt last season.

WR AJ Colombo: Colombo is a small yet speedy wideout with 5 touchdowns last season and should look to improve on those numbers this year. The only two WRs ahead of him are no longer on the roster. If Colombo finds open space, he’s capable of taking it to the house.

CB Samaurie Dukes: A good sized cornerback from Miami, Dukes is a ball hawk that snatched 3 INTs last season and batted away a number of other attempts. McCall should be able to stay away from Dukes' side of the field, but if they test each other, Dukes has the ability to make NC State pay.

Cole Gonzales — © Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Trends to Watch

This game may be close to start, as the new-look Wolfpack offense and defense will have some things to work out in a live ball situation. The Catamounts could take advantage of that aspect early and keep it close until the half. But as is the case in many of these FBS vs. FCS matchups, talent and depth will prevail and the Wolfpack should walk away with an easy win in the end. The Catamounts have never beaten the Wolfpack and that should not change after this one.