N.C. State (3-5, 2-3) vs. No. 20 Tech (6-2, 4-1)

NC State

North Carolina State has been plagued with inconsistent play over the course of the year. After starting the season 1-2, the Wolfpack anointed a new quarterback, red-shirt sophomore Daniel Evans, who led them on two game winning drives to defeat then No. 20 Boston College and then No. 16 Florida State.

The sophomore running back tandem of Toney Baker and Andre Brown have been the staple of the Wolfpack offense.

Each has carried the ball exactly 92 times and scored four touchdowns on the year. Five players from the 2005 squad were taken in the NFL draft last year, including three first-round selections.

Despite the losses, the Pack's starting defense is composed of all juniors and seniors with the exception of the left end, a red-shirt sophomore, but this is his third year in the North Carolina State system. The Wolfpack will need to have a strong defensive performance to beat the Jackets tomorrow.

GT

With a victory over Miami last Saturday, Tech controls their own destiny in the ACC Coastal division with a 4-1 record. The Jackets have a one-game lead over Virginia, Virginia Tech and Miami, who each have two conference losses. In addition, Tech earned the tiebreaker over the three teams by defeating them earlier in the season. In essence, Tech has some wiggle room down the stretch.

Against a team that is very inconsistent, that wiggle room may prove helpful this week as Tech wraps up the conference season against North Carolina and Duke that are winless in the conference. Running back Tashard Choice has rushed for 100 yards in three of the last four games while receiver James Johnson stepped up to complement Calvin Johnson. J. Johnson has hauled in 10 catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns in the last two games. Reggie Ball will need an early score or two to lower the enthusiasm of an N.C. State team that is looking to save their coaches job.

Four Key Questions

• Can Tech avoid a letdown against the Wolfpack?

The Jackets have had to play against two formidable foes on back-to-back weeks. Now they must focus their attention on a team capable of an upset. North Carolina State has defeated Florida State and Boston College, but they have lost games to Akron and Southern Mississippi. With a win on Saturday, the Jackets would need a victory over either Duke or North Carolina left on the conference schedule.

• Can Tech continue their dominance of N.C. State?

The Jackets have defeated the WolfPack nine of the last 11 years, and they will look to continue that trend this weekend. Last year, N.C. State ended a run of four consecutive years of losing to Tech. During that time, the Jackets ended the National Championship hopes of the No. 8 Wolfpack and Philip Rivers in 2002. Chuck Amato's squad was 8-0 when former Tech quarterback A.J. Suggs led the fourth quarter comeback for the Jackets.

• Will Reggie Ball be healthy enough to provide a dual threat for Tech's offense in Raleigh?

When Reggie Ball is healthy, there are very few quarterbacks that are more of a threat to opposing defenses. With an injured foot, Ball is essentially a drop back passer. Ball was only three of 16 in the first half of Saturday's game against Miami, but he hit James Johnson for a touchdown pass and threw for 101 yards. In the second half of the game, Ball completed eight of 11 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson. Ball was only able to run one draw during the game, but rolled out of the pocket on numerous occassions.

• Will the Daniel Evans that played in his first two starts quarterback the WolfPack?

In Daniel Evan's first two starts, he threw four touchdowns and only one interception. In those games, N.C. State defeated Boston College and Florida State. Since then, the Wolfpack has dropped three consecutive games to Wake Forest, Maryland and Virginia. In those games, Evans has thrown four interceptions and only one touchdown. If Evans is able to manage the game, the Jackets could have a tough time in Raleigh this weekend.

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