By Brian Murphy, WRAL

Much of the excitement surrounding the NC State offense entering the season has been focused on the skill position additions for the Wolfpack.

At quarterback, running back and wide receiver, the program added potential stars through the transfer portal and in traditional high school recruiting.

Overlooked, perhaps, is NC State’s offensive line, one of the most experienced units in the nation with four graduate students and a third-year sophomore starting.

“One thing you can’t do as a coach is make a guy experienced,” NC State coach Dave Doeren said. “You can’t do that. You play a freshman, he’s a freshman. No matter how good he is, that’s what he is. There’s going to be some mistakes that come with that youth. That is an advantage of bringing in older players.”

NC State added 17 transfers, including along the offensive line.

Left tackle Anthony Belton has started 21 games. Left guard Anthony Carter has started 11 games. Center Zeke Correll, a transfer from Notre Dame, has 31 career starts. Right guard Timothy McKay has started 23 games. And right tackle Jacarrius Peak, the lone non-graduate in the group, has started seven games.

NC State offensive linemen, including backups, have played in 229 career games (93 starts), which ranks eighth among all FBS programs.

Florida State entered the season ranked No. 1 in combined games played along the offensive line at 345 games.

Game of the Week: No. 14 Clemson vs. No. 1 Georgia in Atlanta (Aug. 31, Noon, ABC)

The showdown in Atlanta is one of three Top-25 meetings on the first full weekend of games, including No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 20 Texas A&M (Aug. 31, 7:30 p.m., ABC) and No. 23 USC vs. No. 13 LSU in Las Vegas (Sept. 1, 7:30 p.m., ABC).

The Tigers can strike a big blow for the ACC – and give them a tremendous advantage in reaching the 12-team College Football Playoff – by knocking off the top-ranked Bulldogs, who are 42-2 over the last three seasons.

UNC: The Tar Heels aren’t disclosing their two-deep depth chart or their starting quarterback for Thursday’s opener at Minnesota. Coach Mack Brown tied himself in knots trying to explain how UNC might use quarterbacks Max Johnson and Conner Harrell.

NC State: There’s no such quarterback controversy in Raleigh where former Coastal Carolina star and three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year Grayson McCall takes over. Good news for McCall: Of the last 12 quarterbacks at NC State, 10 won their first start for the Wolfpack. The only losses: Jack Chambers to Syracuse in 2022 and Devin Leary to South Carolina in 2019.

Duke: The Blue Devils pulled off a big win — and the games haven’t even started yet. Four-star defensive end Bryce Davis, a top-100 prospect from Grimsley High, flipped his commitment from Clemson to Duke. … The Blue Devils named Texas transfer Maalik Murphy as their starter for the season opener against Elon. Here’s how he won the job.

Poll watch: Florida State

The new poll won’t come until after this week’s game, which stretch across Labor Day weekend. So Florida State, which lost 24-21 to Georgia Tech, remains at No. 10.

In the old Bowl Championship Series or four-team College Football Playoff era, the Seminoles would just about be eliminated from national title contention. But under the new 12-team format teams can afford a loss or two.

It may take some adjusting for teams and fans.

All eyes on: Two-minute warning

College football adopted a two-minute warning (or timeout, as it’s being called) at the end of each half for the 2024 season. It will impact strategic decisions down the stretch in games.

“There’s 2:10 on the clock, and it’s going to stop,” Doeren said. “You don’t have to get a play that goes out of bounds. You’re going to see things like that. You might use a timeout earlier in the half that maybe you wouldn’t have, knowing you’re getting an extra stoppage.”

Doeren said he and his staff have been playing out “what if” scenarios since February as it relates to clock management and the two-minute timeout. The additional stoppage changes the traditional math on when a leading offensive team can just kneel out the clock.

Quotable: “In modern-day football, our fans talk about loyalty. He got offered four times as much money to leave as he would make to stay here and never even considered it,” Brown on All-ACC running back Omarion Hampton.

Hampton rushed for more than 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. He’s focused on becoming a more complete back — route-running and pass protection — this offseason.

In-state schedule

Thursday, Aug. 29

Western Carolina at NC State, 7 p.m. (ACC Network)

North Carolina A&T at Wake Forest, 7 p.m. (ESPN+)

Wofford at Gardner-Webb, 7 p.m.

North Carolina at Minnesota, 8 p.m. (Fox, Fox 50 in the Triangle)

Friday, Aug. 30

Elon at Duke, 7:30 p.m. (ACC Network)

Saturday, Aug. 31

Davidson at Georgetown, 12:30 p.m.

East Tennessee State at App State, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)

Norfolk State at East Carolina, 6 p.m. (ESPN+)

Campbell at Liberty, 6 p.m.

James Madison at Charlotte, 8 p.m. (ESPNU)

Sunday, Sept. 1

NC Central at Alabama State, 3 p.m.

Source: wralsportsfan.com