35 - 28 Everything was there for NC State… They had an experienced QB, some playmakers on offense, and a defensive line many thought was one of the 10 best in college football. They opened the season against a rebuilding South Carolina team with a head coach in Will Muschamp who’s had little tangible success in his career.
NC State out gained South Carolina 504-246, had 17 more first downs, and won the turnover battle. Incredibly NC State still found a way to lose a game they had absolutely no business losing. It was game head coach Dave Doeren couldn’t lose. Barely off the hot-seat after winning their last two games to end the 2016 season, Doeren finds himself right back on it.
Blog contributor @JamesIV1978 said this in his preview of NC State.
1) South Carolina: if NC State loses this opening game it could spiral out of control. They could lose this game and that good will the Dave Doeren has built up at the end of last season could be gone and that seat becomes a little warm.
He nails it here. I would only add his seat just became very warm. An off-season of hype just went down the drain in one mistake prone game to a mediocre South Carolina team. Think about this for a moment Dave Doeren was badly out-coached by Will Muschamp. Muschamp maximized his moderately talented thin team to victory while Doeren’s team came out-flat to open the game and the half. Those were the critical moments in the game, that had NC State chasing the Gamecocks for the entirety of the contest.
When you have 9 ACC wins in 4 full seasons as head-coach and you are fighting for credibility you can’t afford to lose to teams the caliber of South Carolina. The Wolfpack did and now Doeren will be fighting an uphill battle to save his job the rest of the season. This sums the feelings of the NC State fanbase.
Sadly, a classic Doeren game. Other team better coached AND State shoots itself in the head in multiple ways. So sad and frustrating.
— statefansnation (@statefansnation) September 2, 2017
