http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/luke-decock/article52061250.html
"It is also important for N.C. State to perform well against the first Power 5 nonconference opponent it has faced since the Music City Bowl in 2012, when Dana Bible was serving as interim coach against Vanderbilt between Tom O’Brien’s firing and Dave Doeren officially taking over the team. In Doeren’s three seasons, the Wolfpack has played 13 nonconference games against the Sun Belt (4), American (3), Conference USA (2), MAC (1) and FCS (3).
Against bowl-eligible opponents, the Wolfpack is 3-18 over that span, 0-5 this season. While Mississippi State was sixth of seven teams in the SEC West, the Bulldogs are 8-4 and ranked 24th in the Sagarin computer ratings compared to N.C. State at 49, the fourth-best team the Wolfpack has faced this season behind Clemson, Florida State and North Carolina. And N.C. State hasn’t beaten an SEC team since 1999, going 0-4 since a win over South Carolina in Columbia.
If the ACC has something to prove Wednesday, N.C. State has as much, if not more."
"It is also important for N.C. State to perform well against the first Power 5 nonconference opponent it has faced since the Music City Bowl in 2012, when Dana Bible was serving as interim coach against Vanderbilt between Tom O’Brien’s firing and Dave Doeren officially taking over the team. In Doeren’s three seasons, the Wolfpack has played 13 nonconference games against the Sun Belt (4), American (3), Conference USA (2), MAC (1) and FCS (3).
Against bowl-eligible opponents, the Wolfpack is 3-18 over that span, 0-5 this season. While Mississippi State was sixth of seven teams in the SEC West, the Bulldogs are 8-4 and ranked 24th in the Sagarin computer ratings compared to N.C. State at 49, the fourth-best team the Wolfpack has faced this season behind Clemson, Florida State and North Carolina. And N.C. State hasn’t beaten an SEC team since 1999, going 0-4 since a win over South Carolina in Columbia.
If the ACC has something to prove Wednesday, N.C. State has as much, if not more."
