The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1087622
60 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY MATT CARTER T he 2019 football schedule was released in January, and the Pack will play a pair of Thursday night games this fall, including hosting Syracuse Oct. 10 at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Pack will also play at Georgia Tech on a Thursday night, Nov. 21. That is just five days after hosting Louisville. The Wolfpack has won its previous two meet- ings in Atlanta, with the last trip resulting in a 45-28 victory in 2010. NC State had a memorable Thursday night game at Georgia Tech in 2005. With the Pack leading 17-13 in the closing seconds and the Yellow Jackets driving, College Football Hall of Fame wideout Calvin Johnson dropped a pass in the end zone and Wolfpack safety Garland Heath caught the deflection for a game-clinching interception. Ironically, NC State played a second Thursday night game that year, too, host- ing Clemson a week later and the Tigers steamrolled the Pack 31-10. This year, defending national champion Clemson will be coming to Raleigh Nov. 9 in what will be NC State's Homecoming game. The schedule will open in Raleigh with East Carolina Aug. 31. The Pirates also ended the Pack's regular-season slate last fall, a 58-3 Wolfpack rout in Carter-Finley Stadium. NC State's marquee non-conference game will be a date at West Virginia Sept. 14. It is the third time the Pack will have played in Morgantown, with the last trip culminating with a 38-14 win in 1979. The two teams were supposed to play this past fall in Ra- leigh, but the game was cancelled because of Hurricane Florence, and WVU was re- placed by ECU on the schedule. For the second time in three years, NC State's ACC opener will be at Florida State. In 2017, the Pack started 1-0 in the league by upsetting No. 11 FSU 27-21 in Tallahassee. And for the sixth straight year, the reg- ular-season finale will be against archrival North Carolina. The Tar Heels will come to Raleigh Nov. 30. UNC is one of five teams on NC State's schedule with a new coach, although new hire Mack Brown is a familiar name from his previous stint in Chapel Hill. Georgia Tech (Geoff Collins), West Vir- ginia (Neal Brown), East Carolina (Mike Houston) and Louisville (Scott Satterfield) also have new head coaches. Six Former Pack Players Receive NFL Combine Invites NC State was well represented at the NFL Scouting Combine for the second straight year. Six Wolfpack players were invited, third most in the ACC behind Clemson (11) and Boston College (seven). WOLFPACK FOOTBALL NC State Announces 2019 Football Schedule Dave Doeren will start his seventh year in Raleigh at home against East Carolina, the same team NC State defeated in Carter-Finley Stadium to end the 2018 regular season. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN 2019 NC State Schedule Date Opponent Aug. 31 East Carolina Sept. 7 Western Carolina Sept. 14 at West Virginia Sept. 21 Ball State Sept. 28 at Florida State Oct. 10* Syracuse Oct. 19 at Boston College Nov. 2 at Wake Forest Nov. 9 Clemson Nov. 16 Louisville Nov. 21* at Georgia Tech Nov. 30 North Carolina * Thursday night game