UConn vs NC State: How To Watch & Preview

The Huskies are expected to have one of their largest crowds in years on Saturday

© David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Date/Time: Thursday (August 31) 7:30 p.m. ET 

TV: CBS Sports Network 

Listen: The Varsity Network

Line: NC State -14.5

Location: Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field (East Hartford, Connecticut)

All-Time Series Record: NC State leads 3-0. The Wolfpack won 41-10 in Raleigh in 2022.

UConn Preview

This is our 🏠 #PackTheRent pic.twitter.com/lmcpX9Mf3A

— UConn Football (@UConnFootball) August 26, 2023

Excitement for UConn's home opener is abnormally high. Per CT Insider, UConn officials expect well over 31,000 tickets to be distributed for the contest. UConn averaged 22,095 fans in home games last season.

Head coach Jim Mora enters his second season at the helm of the Huskies after leading them to a 6-7 record in 2022. This was UConn's highest win total since 2015, their first bowl appearance since 2015, and just their second time reaching the six-win mark since 2011.

"The Rent, especially at night, is a fun environment," Mora said earlier this week. "Really looking forward to seeing our men play. They put a lot of work into the season and their offseason was outstanding. I think like all of us, we're just excited to get out there and compete."

The Huskies' star player is homegrown talent and senior linebacker Jackson Mitchell. Mitchell had 140 tackles with 4.5 sacks in 2022. He also recovered five fumbles, forced two, and had an interception last season. He was named to the watchlist for the Butkus Award earlier this summer. 

Offensively, the Huskies have a new face under center. Transfer Joe Fagnano will be the starting quarterback. At the University of Maine, Fagnano completed 57 percent of his passes and threw for 2,231 yards with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2022. He also rushed for 296 yards with three TDs on the ground. The Huskies also have a talented young quarterback in Zion Turner waiting in the wings.

NC State Preview

⚪️⚪️🔴#1Pack1Goal pic.twitter.com/RovrYMZVg1

— NC State Football (@PackFootball) August 29, 2023

One storyline that created anticipation for the 2023 NC State football season was the addition of quarterback Brennan Armstrong from Virginia. Armstrong finished last season as the ACC’s all-time leader in passing yards by a left-handed quarterback with 9,034. He joins his old Virginia offensive coordinator Robert Anae with the Wolfpack. Armstrong will be NC State's starting quarterback on Saturday. 

NC State are coming off of a season where they finished 8-5 with a double-overtime win against North Carolina, but ended with a Duke's Mayo Bowl loss to Maryland. 

"They were one of the most improved teams last year in the country, head coach Dave Doeren said of his team's opponent this week. "One thing that you saw with Coach Mora's team is they got better and better and ended up getting hot, beating Boston College, beating Liberty, qualifying for a bowl game...I have a lot of respect for Jim Mora as a head coach."

Defensively, the Wolfpack will be led by defensive end Davin Vann, who will wear number one. Vann had 33 total tackles with eight for a loss, and 4.5 sacks with a forced fumble in 2022. NC State had the top ranked defense in the ACC last season.

The additions NC State made in the offseason clearly have some in ACC and national media circles impressed. The Wolfpack were picked fourth in the league's media poll at the start of fall camp and even received one first place vote.