2021 NC State Wolfpack football team explained

The 2021 NC State Wolfpack football team represented North Carolina State University during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wolfpack played their home games at Carter–Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina and competed in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They were led by ninth-year head coach Dave Doeren.

The Wolfpack finished their regular season with a 9–3 overall record, and accepted a bid to the Holiday Bowl, where they were due to face UCLA. Hours before game time on December 28, UCLA withdrew from the bowl due to COVID-19 issues, and the bowl was canceled.^{[1] [2]} NC State was awarded the Holiday Bowl trophy after the cancelation and considers the game forfeited, giving the program its second (after 2002) 10-win season—the 10th win (for the Holiday Bowl) is claimed by NC State and not officially recognized by the NCAA and ACC.^[3] NC State beat Clemson for the first time since 2011.

Schedule

NC State announced its 2021 football schedule on January 28, 2021.^[4] Source^[5]

Coaching staff

Dave Doeren	Head Coach
Tim Beck	Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
Tony Gibson	Defensive coordinator/linebackers
Charlie Wiles	Defensive Line
Joe DeForest	Safeties
Todd Goebbel	Tight Ends/special teams
Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay	Nickels
John Garrison	Offensive Line
Brian Mitchell	Cornerbacks
Kurt Roper	Running Backs
Ruffin McNeill	Special Assistant to the head coach

Source^[6]

Roster

Source^[7]

Game summaries

South Florida

See also: 2021 South Florida Bulls football team.

NCSU −20

58

Statistics	USF	NCSU
First downs	15	27
Total yards	271	525
Rushing yards	104	293
Passing yards	167	232
Turnovers	3	1
Time of possession	30:48	29:12

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
South Florida	Passing		7–13, 126 yards, 2 INT
Rushing	Jaren Mangham	5 carries, 26 yards
Receiving		2 receptions, 73 yards
NC State	Passing		17–26, 232 yards, 2 TD, INT
Rushing		16 carries, 164 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Emeka Emezie	5 receptions, 71 yards

At Mississippi State

See also: 2021 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team.

NCSU −1.5

56

Statistics	NCSU	MSSU
First downs	16	15
Total yards	337	316
Rushing yards	34	22
Passing yards	303	294
Turnovers	2	0
Time of possession	28:57	31:03

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
NC State	Passing	Devin Leary	30–49, 303 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing	Zonovan Knight	8 carries, 31 yards
Receiving	Emeka Emezie	6 receptions, 92 yards
Mississippi State	Passing		33–49, 294 yards, 2 TD
Rushing		6 carries, 18 yards
Receiving	Dillon Johnson	6 receptions, 70 yards

Furman

See also: 2021 Furman Paladins football team.

NCSU −27.5

45

Statistics	FUR	NCSU
First downs	9	25
Total yards	196	505
Rushing yards	92	218
Passing yards	104	287
Turnovers	1	1
Time of possession	27:21	32:39

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Furman	Passing	Hamp Sisson	8–19, 86 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing	Devin Wynn	9 carries, 27 yards
Receiving	Ryan Miller	2 receptions, 31 yards, 1 TD
NC State	Passing	Devin Leary	23–29, 259 yards, 3 TD
Rushing	Zonovan Knight	11 carries, 104 yards, 1 TD
Receiving		5 receptions, 82 yards, 1 TD

No. 9 Clemson

See also: 2021 Clemson Tigers football team and Textile Bowl.

CLEM −10.5

48

Statistics	CLEM	NCSU
First downs	10	31
Total yards	214	386
Rushing yards	103	148
Passing yards	111	238
Turnovers	1	1
Time of possession	18:12	41:48

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Clemson	Passing		12–26, 111 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing	DJ Uiagalelei	9 carries, 63 yards
Receiving		8 receptions, 77 yards, 2 TD
NC State	Passing	Devin Leary	32–44, 238 yards, 4 TD
Rushing		21 carries, 91 yards
Receiving	Emeka Emezie	14 receptions, 116 yards, 1 TD

Louisiana Tech

See also: 2021 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team.

NCSU −17.5

56

Statistics	La Tech	NCSU
First downs	26	23
Total yards	480	418
Rushing yards	139	167
Passing yards	341	251
Turnovers	2	0
Time of possession	30:43	29:17

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Louisiana Tech	Passing		26–43, 341 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Rushing	Austin Kendall	15 carries, 71 yards
Receiving		6 receptions, 95 yards, 1 TD
NC State	Passing	Devin Leary	22–36, 251 yards, 2 TD
Rushing	Ricky Person Jr.	15 carries, 90 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Emeka Emezie	4 receptions, 67 yards

At Boston College

See also: 2021 Boston College Eagles football team.

NCSU −3

51

Statistics	NCSU	BC
First downs	16	17
Total yards	381	291
Rushing yards	130	97
Passing yards	251	194
Turnovers	0	3
Time of possession	31:53	28:07

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
NC State	Passing	Devin Leary	16–24, 251 yards, 3 TD
Rushing	Jordan Houston	8 carries, 43 yards
Receiving	Thayer Thomas	4 receptions, 122 yards, 1 TD
Boston College	Passing	Dennis Grosel	21–39, 194 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing	Patrick Garwo	1 carries, 52 yards
Receiving	Jaelen Gill	5 receptions, 71 yards

At Miami

See also: 2021 Miami Hurricanes football team.

NCSU −3.5

55

Statistics	NCSU	MIA
First downs	18	18
Total yards	421	420
Rushing yards	111	95
Passing yards	310	325
Turnovers	0	0
Time of possession	28:30	31:30

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
NC State	Passing	Devin Leary	24–42, 310 yards, 2 TD
Rushing	Ricky Person Jr.	9 carries, 54 yards
Receiving	Emeka Emezie	3 receptions, 75 yards
Miami	Passing		25–33, 325 yards, 4 TD
Rushing	Jaylan Knighton	21 carries, 83 yards
Receiving		9 receptions, 127 yards, 2 TD

vs Louisville

See also: 2021 Louisville Cardinals football team.

NCSU −6

57

Statistics	LOU	NCSU
First downs	17	19
Total yards	434	361
Rushing yards	219	317
Passing yards	215	44
Turnovers	1	0
Time of possession	30:37	29:23

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Louisville	Passing		11–28, 219 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing	Malik Cunningham	18 carries, 76 yards
Receiving		2 receptions, 83 yards, 1 TD
NC State	Passing	Devin Leary	25–36, 317 yards, 4 TD
Rushing	Zonovan Knight	11 carries, 23 yards
Receiving	Emeka Emezie	5 receptions, 91 yards, 1 TD

At Florida State

See also: 2021 Florida State Seminoles football team.

NCSU −3

55

Statistics	NCSU	FSU
First downs	17	18
Total yards	400	271
Rushing yards	86	38
Passing yards	314	233
Turnovers	1	1
Time of possession	34:12	25:48

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
NC State	Passing	Devin Leary	21–32, 314 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT
Rushing	Zonovan Knight	18 carries, 75 yards
Receiving	Trent Pennix	3 receptions, 97 yards, 1 TD
Florida State	Passing		22–44, 233 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing		14 carries, 33 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Keyshawn Helton	4 receptions, 49 yards, 1 TD

At No. 12 Wake Forest

See also: 2021 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team and NC State–Wake Forest rivalry.

WF –1

65

Statistics	NCSU	WAKE
First downs	25	27
Total yards	482	406
Rushing yards	74	116
Passing yards	408	290
Turnovers	3	3
Time of possession	28:20	31:40

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
NC State	Passing	Devin Leary	37–59, 408 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT
Rushing	Ricky Person, Jr.	8 carries, 36 yards
Receiving	Emeka Emezie	10 receptions, 133 yards, 2 TD
Wake Forest	Passing		20–47, 290 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT
Rushing		17 carries, 56 yards, 2 TD
Receiving		5 receptions, 73 yards, 1 TD

Syracuse

See also: 2021 Syracuse Orange football team.

NCSU –11.5

49.5

Statistics	CUSE	NCSU
First downs	16	19
Total yards	236	399
Rushing yards	170	96
Passing yards	66	303
Turnovers	1	0
Time of possession	29:24	30:36

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Syracuse	Passing		8–20, 63 yards, 1 INT
Rushing		14 carries, 109 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Devaughn Cooper	3 receptions, 31 yards
NC State	Passing	Devin Leary	17–24, 303 yards, 2 TD
Rushing	Ricky Person Jr.	12 carries, 50 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Thayer Thomas	4 receptions, 80 yards, 1 TD

North Carolina

See also: 2021 North Carolina Tar Heels football team and North Carolina–NC State football rivalry.

NCSU –5

61

Statistics	UNC	NCSU
First downs	22	21
Total yards	444	360
Rushing yards	297	113
Passing yards	147	247
Turnovers	1	1
Time of possession	29:21	30:39

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
North Carolina	Passing		14–26, 147 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing		15 carries, 124 yards
Receiving		8 receptions, 75 yards
NC State	Passing	Devin Leary	19–30, 247 yards, 4 TD
Rushing	Zonovan Knight	9 carries, 69 yards
Receiving	Emeka Emezie	5 receptions, 112 yards, 2 TD

Players drafted into the NFL

See also: 2022 NFL draft.

1	6	Ikem Ekwonu	OT	Carolina Panthers
7	255	Trenton Gill	P	Chicago Bears

Notes and References

1. News: Holiday Bowl between UCLA and NC State Wolfpack canceled due to COVID-19 issues in Bruins program . Mark . Schlabach . ESPN.com . December 28, 2021 . December 28, 2021.
2. News: Holiday Bowl unable to find replacement college football team, cancels game . Andrea . Adelson . ESPN.com . December 29, 2021 . December 29, 2021.
3. News: Did NC State football win nine or 10 games this season? It depends on who you ask. . Luke . DeCock . . . MSN.com . December 29, 2021 . December 29, 2021.
4. Wolfpack Football Announces 2021 Schedule. January 28, 2021. January 28, 2021.
5. Web site: 2021 NC State Wolfpack Football Schedule. FB Schedules. January 28, 2021.
6. Web site: Coaching Staff . gopack.com . NC State Athletics . 28 January 2021.
7. Web site: 2021 Football Roster. NC State Athletics. September 7, 2021.