Virginia Tech’s Win Puts NC State’s Season on Shaky Ground

RALEIGH — Before the Virginia Tech game, NC State looked well on its way to a 5-1 record before a road trip to South Bend, Indiana, to face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Hokies derailed that train with a shocking 23-21 upset of the Wolfpack, dropping Dave Doeren's team to 3-2 on the season with two ACC losses already.

While NC State has an opportunity to bounce back with a win over Campbell, an FCS opponent, in Week 6, the outlook for the rest of the season became significantly gloomier. Fans stormed social media to express their disillusionment with the direction the program has taken in the last few seasons under Doeren.

It's fair to question whether NC State can turn things around quickly enough to remain competitive in the ACC. At 3-2, what might the rest of the season look like for the Wolfpack?

A Brutal Stretch is Coming

Assuming NC State can handle Campbell, which will enter the matchup with just one win, the Wolfpack will be a four-win team heading into the Notre Dame matchup. The Fighting Irish have two losses of their own already, but remain in the playoff mix if they can win out.

In three of four games, Notre Dame's offense scored over 40 points. It will be the best offensive unit NC State will have faced up to that point in the season, but the challenges don't stop with Notre Dame.

The Wolfpack will have a bye week before another road trip, this time for an ACC matchup against Pitt. The Panthers sit at 2-2 after a close loss to Louisville in Week 5, but have the makings of a quality ACC foe. It's one of the more winnable games left on the schedule for the Wolfpack, but still far from guaranteed.

After that, NC State will return to Carter-Finley Stadium to try to slow down the No. 17 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Given the Wolfpack's struggles against mobile quarterbacks so far, Haynes King is a nightmare matchup for the unit.

On the other side of a bye week following the Georgia Tech game waits the No. 3 Miami Hurricanes on the road. Mario Cristobal's group looks like the class of the ACC and one of the best teams in the country.

The Wolfpack wraps up the season with a two-game homestand, including a Friday night showdown against No. 18 Florida State. North Carolina visits for the rivalry matchup in the final week.