Has NC State football coach Dave Doeren become a Clemson and Boston College super fan?
The narrative has changed for the N.C. State football team. The Wolfpack dropped a key game at Wake Forest Saturday night, falling 45-42, to the Demon Deacons.
N.C. State is now 7-3 overall and 4-2 in ACC play. The Wolfpack concludes the regular season with two home games, starting this Saturday against Syracuse. They end the 2021 campaign the day after Thanksgiving against rival North Carolina.
Before the Wake Forest game, N.C. State was in the driver’s seat for the Atlantic Division title and a chance to play in the ACC title game. There is still an outside shot for the Wolfpack to get to Charlotte. That starts with a win over the Orange, followed by a win over the Tar Heels. That’s N.C. State’s part in this scenario, all they can control. But they will need some help. The easiest path to Charlotte for the Pack would be two wins, plus two losses by Wake Forest.
The Demon Deacons (9-1, 6-0) play at Clemson this weekend, followed by a road trip to Chestnut Hill to face Boston College. If Wake Forest drops both games and State wins out, guess what? Charlotte it is for the Wolfpack. It’s a long shot, sure, but it’s a legit chance, the easiest chance for N.C. State.
Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren has plenty to keep him occupied the next two weeks, but will he suddenly be decked out in Orange and Maroon and Gold, pulling for the Tigers and Eagles to win?
“I’m going to cheer for us,” Doeren said. “And cheering for us means we want everyone to lose who needs to lose. I have to focus on what we control on this side of it.”
The scenario can get a little complicated for all parties involved. Obviously, the easiest path is for Wake Forest if they just keep winning. Clemson has an outside shot, way outside. If the Atlantic ends in a three-way tie between Wake Forest (lose both games), N.C. State and Clemson, the tie would go to the Pack, based on their divisional record and win over the Tigers. That’s a lot of balls that need to bounce in favor of N.C. State. Doeren feels they are due for some luck in Raleigh.
“Lord knows we’ve had enough bad luck throughout the years,” Doeren said. “Would be great to have a little good luck down the stretch here. We’re going to do that on our side, say our prayers, light our candles and say all the ritual things we can to see if we can get some luck down the stretch, man.”
Narrative change
The ACC championship is a goal that’s still realistic, but out of N.C. State’s control. What they do control is the goal of going undefeated at home, something Doeren has never done and winning 10 games for the first time since 2002. That team finished 11-3 overall and was the first team in school history to win 10 games or more.
Doeren won nine games in consecutive seasons back in 2017 and 2018.
“We talked about it (winning 10 games) a few years ago, and there’s a few guys, old heads, that are still here,” Doeren said. “We’ll all have to do a good job of talking about what’s in front of us and what our opportunities are. This is an opportunity for a senior class, from a legacy standpoint, to have something to talk about.”
When the team met on Sunday after the Wake Forest game, the main talking point was what’s in front of them.
“We set a new narrative of what’s left and got them reengaged,” Doeren said. “And what our plan of attack would be for these last 13 days. We have a lot to play for here.”
This story was originally published November 15, 2021 at 1:30 PM with the headline "Has NC State football coach Dave Doeren become a Clemson and Boston College super fan?."
