NC State football vs Tennessee: Scouting report, prediction for Duke’s Mayo Classic

N.C. State football and Tennessee meet in a top-25 matchup at the Duke’s Mayo Classic on Saturday (7:30 p.m., ABC) in one of the premier games on the Week 2 schedule.

The 24th-ranked Wolfpack (1-0) and 14th-ranked Volunteers (1-0) meet at Bank of America Stadium, home of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, in a game that could be a resume builder for the 12-team College Football Playoff.

N.C. State is 2-2 in the all-time series against Tennessee. The Pack beat the Vols in 1893 — State’s inaugural game — and 1911. Tennessee won in 1939 and the last meeting in 2012.

NC State vs Tennessee: 5 X-factors

This will be the first top-25 meeting between the programs and N.C. State hasn’t beaten a top-15 opponent away from Raleigh since winning at Florida State in 2017. Under 12th-year head coach Dave Doeren, the Wolfpack is 7-23 against ranked opponents.

Looking at each program’s history at Bank of America Stadium, N.C. State is 3-6 and Tennessee was on the wrong end of a 40-14 loss to West Virginia in 2018.

Here’s a look at things to watch and a score prediction for the Duke’s Mayo Classic.

QB Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee football offense vs NC State secondary

After becoming the first Tennessee freshman quarterback to win a bowl game since Peyton Manning, Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava enters his redshirt freshman season as one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy. Through two starts, Iamaleava has completed 72.3% of his passes for 465 yards with seven touchdowns (three rushing).

Across the last three seasons, no other Power 4 team has picked off more passes than N.C. State (51). The Wolfpack’s secondary is its strength, led by All-ACC cornerback Aydan White. Auburn transfer Donovan Kaufman and Ohio State transfer Ja’Had Carter were brought in to boost the depth on the backend. If the Wolfpack is going to win, its secondary can’t be exposed by Iamaleava.

NC State football’s offensive line vs James Pearce, Tennessee defense

NC State’s offensive line was the talk coming out of Week 1, namely because of its lack of push in the run game. The Wolfpack did a solid job of protecting quarterback Grayson McCall, but it has to be better on the ground to keep Tennessee’s high-powered offense off the field.

Offensive linemen Anthony Belton and Jaccarrius Peak will have an opportunity to prove their chops against Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr., one of the top defensive players in the nation.

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Pearce tied for the SEC lead in sacks (10) last season and was second in tackles for loss (14 ½). With four returning starters and an experienced transfer on its starting offensive line, N.C. State has to show it’s capable of holding up and producing against a quality opponent.

NC State’s Grayson McCall, Jordan Waters, KC Concepcion must be stars

Wolfpack basketball legend Sidney Lowe said it best: “Your best players have to be your best players.”

In a game that could see a lot of offensive fireworks, Grayson McCall, Jordan Waters and KC Concepcion have to do the heavy lifting for the Wolfpack. That trio accounted for N.C. State’s five touchdowns against Western Carolina.

The last time the Wolfpack won away from Carter-Finley Stadium against a top-15 opponent, it got sterling efforts from its top three offensive players: Ryan Finley (230 yards, 2 TDs), Jaylen Samuels (75 total yards, 2 TDs) and Jakobi Meyers (5 catches, 112 yards, TD). State needs a similar showing from its current stars on Saturday to beat the Vols.

NC State vs Tennessee score prediction

Tennessee 33, NC State 23: The Wolfpack will be better in Week 2 than it was in Week 1, but the Vols offense will be the best unit on the field at Bank of America Stadium. N.C. State fans will be tired of hearing Rocky Top. Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NC State football vs Tennessee: Scouting report, score prediction