NC State football countdown to 2023 kickoff: 58

The NC State football season opener for 2023 is at Connecticut on Aug. 31 — or 58 days away. TheWolfpacker.com’s countdown for the season looks at the significance of the number 58 in Pack history.

NC State Football And The No. 58

• One of the promising young players on this year’s NC State football team wears No. 58.

Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Travali Price was one of the more heralded pickups for the Wolfpack in the 2021 class. His impressive offer list included, among others, Louisville, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia Tech.

Ultimately, his decision came down to NC State and Tennessee, and even after committing to the Pack in the summer, the Vols continued to make a big push on Price.

While redshirting, Price was named the Co-Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year. As a rookie, Price had 16 tackles (including a pair for loss and 1.5 sacks) and 7 quarterback hurries, which tied for second most among NC State defensive linemen. He also recovered a fumble.

• One unique aspect about the 1958 season is that was the last year during which NC State did not attempt a single field goal. That has only been done three times overall in Wolfpack history.

• The fewest passing yards ever allowed in a bowl game by a NC State defense was 58, against Mississippi State in what was a 16-12 loss for the Pack in the 1963 Liberty Bowl in Philadelphia.

• The most points NC State has ever allowed in Carter-Finley Stadium was in 2000 to Florida State, a 58-14 thumping in a highly anticipated showdown.

NC State, led by an upstart true freshman quarterback named Philip Rivers, was off to a surprising 5-1 start under first-year head coach Chuck Amato, and the lone setback was a close 34-27 loss at No. 5 Clemson that came down to the Wolfpack’s final possession.

Fresh off ending a seven-game losing streak to archrival North Carolina by beating the Heels 38-20 in Chapel Hill, the Wolfpack climbed to No. 21 in the poll. FSU, however, was No. 6, and the Noles left no doubt in this contest.

NC State would finish that regular season 7-4 overall and 4-4 in the ACC. Aside from the blowout loss to FSU, each of the other three defeats were by just 7 points, including a double overtime setback at Maryland.

Rivers would lead a comeback from down 24-0 in the second quarter to Minnesota by throwing a trio of touchdown passes to help the Pack prevail 38-30 in the MirconPC.com Bowl in Miami, securing an 8-4 record to finish the year for NC State.

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