Here’s a look at some numbers of Miami Vs NC State. The right column “Vs NCState” is them on the other side of the ball. So points per game. Miami scores 33.6 ranking 23rd and NC State gives up 25 ranking 52nd.
| Category | Miami | | Vs NCState | NC State Category |
|---|
| Points Per Game | 33.6 (23rd) | | 25.0 (52nd) | Opp Points Per Game |
| Opp. Points per Game | 21.9 (35th) | | 22.4 (91st) | Points Per Game |
| | | | |
| Total Offense YPG | 437 (27th) | | 357 (43rd) | Defense YPG |
| Offense Yards Per Play | 6.4 (15th) | | 5.2 (41st) | Defense YPP |
| Pass Rating | 150 (28th) | | 125 (40th) | Def Pass Rating |
| Pass O | 261 (41st) | | 234 (67th) | Def Pas O |
| Yards Per Att | 8.9 (35th) | | 7.1 (54th) | Def Yards Per Att |
| Rush O | 175.7 (36th) | | 123 (34th) | Def Rush O |
| Yards per Cary | 5.1 (18th) | | 3.7 (41st) | Def Yards Per Cary |
| Red Zone O | 89.29 (32nd) | | 94.7 (125th) | Def Ref Zone |
| Sacks Allowed | 1 (9th) | | 3.0 (21st) | Def Sacks |
| TFL Allowed | 4.6 (32nd) | | 6.6 (28th) | Def TFL |
| Completion % | 68.8 (12th) | | 58 (32nd) | Def Comp % |
| 3rd Down O % | 42.35 (45th) | | 31.3 (19th) | Def 3rd down |
| | | | |
| Total Defense YPG | 343 (35th) | | 305 (116th) | Offense YPG |
| Defensive YPP | 4.9 (30th) | | 4.5 (115th) | Off YPP |
| Passer Rating | 120 (27th) | | 108 (120th) | Off Passer Rtg |
| TFL | 7.9 (8th) | | 6.75 (102nd) | Off TFL Allowed |
| Sacks | 3.3 (12th) | | 2.1 (75th) | Off Sacks Allowed |
| Rush D | 94.6 (12th) | | 119 (98th) | Rush O |
| Yards per Cary | 3 (10th) | | 3.6 (96th) | Off ypc |
| Red Zone D % | 82.7 (63rd) | | 77.8 (100th) | Red Zone O |
| Pass D | 249 (91st) | | 186 (104th) | Pass O |
| Yards Per Attempt | 7 (47th) | | 5.9 (117th) | Off ypa |
| Completion % | 55.2 (13th) | | 53.6 (118th) | Off Completion% |
| 3rd Down D % | 35.2 (36th) | | 33.9 (98th) | Off 3rd Down |
| | | | |
| Penalty Yards Per Game | 71.3 (126th) | | 51 (67th) | Penalty Yards perfect game |
| Avg TOP | 31:4 (26th) | | 29:4 (76th) | Avg TOP |
| Turnover Margin | -.3 (82nd) | | +.3 (46th) | Turnover Margin |
| FG% | 93.75 (8th) | | 80 (46th) | FG % |
| Avg Scoring Margin | +11.7 (20th) | | -2.6 (75th) | Avg Scoring Margin |
I’ll be blunt here. They aren’t very good on offense. Kevin Concepcion is their play maker. Limit his ability to make plays and the defense has a much easier day. Defensive line should be able to feast. I like our secondary to have a needed good day. They switched QB to Morris and he hasn’t been great. He was efficient against Clemson. Against Marshall he threw 3 int (cough cough Guidry).
Their success isn’t led by the offense, clearly. In ACC play they are avg 16 points a game. But on defense, they are playing hard and forcing teams to struggle and keeping games close. They have held ACC teams to an avg 18.75. A negative net scoring margin in ACC play and in total shouldn’t equate to 5-3 but it does for them. Playing solid defense and winning the turnover battle helps. They avg nearly 2 TO forced a game which is 20th in country.
Don’t get me wrong, they are not the best defense in the country. Holding teams to 31% on third down (19th) though is very good. Creating 3 sacks and 6.6 TFL a game (both top 30) help lead to that 3rd down success.
Keys to the Game.
On paper, this game has a lot of similarities to Clemson. We are up against not a good offense but a solid defense. Truly the only thing that should stop us, is US. That’s a bit of a ****y way of saying we are the better team. But like the UVA game we are. If we play down to NC State, it looks like Virginia. We play up to our potential, it looks more like A&M. There’s more general areas to focus on then specific points.
- Goes without saying, but will the real TVD please stand up? He plays anything like pre-GT, I have no worries about this game. He has played well against NC State in the past. In my personal opinion, I think we see that. But, we all no what opinions are like and matter.
- Defensively, just play our game. Limit Concepcion and big plays. That offense can’t sustain drives. But giving up big plays will keep them around. And on the road, that’s not helpful against a solid defense.
- QB play aside, which Oline performance do we get. The Clemson/AM one that played above the talent level, or the GT/UVA that played down. Their front 7 is solid and well coached, but our Oline has proven they can move people and protect the QB. Let’s play up to the competition.
- As a team, sound like a broke record here, but limit turnovers. They will force turnovers and emphasize forcing fumbles. Need to protect the ball.
I felt to confident against UVA in my prediction. Obviously TVD play was the biggest factor last Saturday. But I think there was more to it than mentioned with the players and the virus that went around. Mario mentioned some players today on his show that were under the weather. I don’t think this team comes out that slow. When one area struggles, we usually see an improvement game to game. I think we see a more complete performance on Saturday.
Canes 34 - NC State 23
