What Did NC State Learn From ECU Loss?

The end of the 2024 Military Bowl was nothing short of a disaster for the NC State football program. The team blew a lead in the final minutes of the game. A massive brawl ensued, which saw a referee injured and several Wolfpack players ejected. A dejected Dave Doeren described the moment as an embarrassment for the university.

The events at the bowl caused the program to reflect deeply on its culture on and off the playing field. With a rematch scheduled against East Carolina as the opener in 2025, old wounds opened up for the Wolfpack. However, the program moved on and seems to have learned from the ugly finish.

Learning From Disappointment

While there will be significant juice and some chippy action during the rematch, Doeren believes his team will be in control of its emotions in the season opener.

"The standards and the culture of this football program on and off the field are to do things a certain way, and how you react versus respond is part of maturity," Doeren said. "And two wrongs don't make a right. It doesn't matter what somebody else does. It's how we respond to what happens. And in a game in life, it's all the same."

Doeren added that this season's opener certainly feels different due to the events of the Military Bowl and once again took responsibility for how his team represented the university.

"This is way more about how we play and how we carry the torch for this university and the reputation we want to have as a program. And so I do think that that makes it different," Doeren said.