Hosted by R. Cory Smith and Michael Clark, the Pack Pride Podcast is the official podcast of Pack Pride. A syndicated partner of 247Sports, Pack Pride is an independent publication that brings you the latest on NC State athletics. You can find us at www.PackPride.com.

With the 2020 Wolfpack football season now at the midway point, it's time to take a look back -- and look ahead -- with Cory and Michael on the Pack Pride Podcast. We review the first six games of the season, breakdown the final five games of the year and offer our thoughts on where the Pack will end the season.

Which position group has shined on each side of the ball? What areas will the Pack need to clean up to finish strong? Who should State start at the quarterback position moving forward? We answer all that and more on this week's podcast!


Following a rough loss to UNC, NC State football has a bye week with plenty of questions heading into the second half of the season. James and Cory take a look at some of those questions, including what should happen at the QB position moving forward.

We also use the second half of the podcast to discuss the reported schedule updates for NC State men's basketball. How is the non-conference schedule shaping up with less than one month away from State tipping off? What could the starting lineup look like?

Direct download: Pack_Pride_Weekly_Podcast_ep_58.mp3
Category:Pack Pride Podcast -- posted at: 11:02am EDT

Well, that was something.

NC State missed tackle after tackle, turned the ball over four times and was outgained on the ground by 292 yards. Cory and Michael take a look back on the loss and look forward to where the Pack goes from here.

Should Ben Finley be the starter the rest of the way? What was the biggest issue with the Pack's defense? How much did turnovers cripple any chance of an effective offense?


Following a 31-20 win over Duke at home, NC State heads back out on the road with a 4-1 record against UNC-Chapel Hill at noon this Saturday. C.L. Brown of the News & Observer joins us to discuss the Tar Heels ahead of the first ranked matchup between the two schools since 1993.

Is Sam Howell back on track after a slow start? How will UNC respond after a loss to Florida State on the road? What makes the Tar Heels' running back duo so explosive? Which team does C.L. pick to pull out the win?


In a year where nothing has been normal, Ben Broussard has taken over as the Executive Director position with the Wolfpack Club and ran with it. Broussard sits down with James and Cory to discuss his past, his first few months, how the Pack is navigating the pandemic and what comes next!

In the second portion, we take a look back on the win over Duke, the impact of Devin Leary's injury, the Pack's resilient defense and, of course, break down State's matchup this weekend at UNC.

Direct download: Pack_Pride_Weekly_Podcast_ep_57.mp3
Category:Pack Pride Podcast -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

NC State moved to 4-1 on the season with a 31-20 win over Duke to win a second straight home game, but it came at a cost. Cory and Michael take a look back on the in-state win, including a look at the impact of Devin Leary's injury and a breakdown of the defense stepping up in the second half.

What does Saturday's win mean for the program with a tough stretch coming up? Will Bailey Hockman remain the starter, or is Ben Finley set to get playing time? Just how good has this defense become -- when it's not dealing with self-inflicted penalties?


Coming off a 38-21 win over Virginia, NC State now heads back to Carter-Finley Stadium for the first time in nearly one month to take on Duke. Adam Rowe of The Devils' Den on the 247Sports Network joins us to discuss the Blue Devils ahead of their first matchup since 2013.

Is Chase Brice finally back on track for the Duke offense? Will the Blue Devils experienced running backs repeat their success against Syracuse? Can Duke's defense limit the Pack's potent offense? Which team does Adam believe will pull out the win?


With the Wolfpack coming off yet another road win over Virginia, Cory and James are joined by Wolfpack Sports Radio pregame and postgame show host Andrew Sanders to discuss the game and his path to covering NC State!

How did Andrew get his start in doing play-by-play for the Wolfpack? What were the guys' thoughts on the win for the Pack in Charlottesville? How much did the last two wins change the perception for the program?

Direct download: Pack_Pride_Weekly_Podcast_ep_56.mp3
Category:Pack Pride Podcast -- posted at: 12:31pm EDT

NC State moved to 3-1 on the season with a 38-21 win over Virginia to win a second straight game on the road in ACC play. Cory and Michael take a look back on the road win, including a breakdown of the up-and-down performance from the offense, the defense's four turnovers and hand out their game balls.

What does Saturday's win mean for the program with a tough stretch coming up? What happened to the passing game after the hot start? Is this a sign of what's to come for the NC State defense?


Coming off a Top-25 win over Pittsburgh last weekend, the Wolfpack will conclude its three-game road trip with a showdown against Virginia on Saturday afternoon. With the game less than 48 hours from kickoff, we brought on Richmond Times-Dispatch columnist David Teel to offer an in-depth look at the Cavaliers prior to Saturday.

How well has new QB Brennan Armstrong performed through the first two weeks? How versatile is the Cavaliers' offense? How pivotal is this game for both teams with multiple ranked matchups coming up in the next few weeks?


NC State landed its sixth four-star prospect in either the 247Sports rankings or 247Sports Composite rankings on Tuesday afternoon with Cary (N.C.) Panther Creek safety Chase Hattley committing to the Pack.

Michael Clark and Cory Smith take a look at what his commitment means for State, why he picked the Pack, how he fits into the system and who's next for State's 2021 class on the Pack Pride Podcast!


Monday night at Amedeo's was a celebration of two different things: NC State's win over Pitt and James Curle's birthday. We packed it all into one podcast with surprise appearances from Lauren Brownlow, Austin Johnson and even Chuck Amato!

Cory, James and Lauren take a look back on the road win over Pitt, Devin Leary's performance, the Pack's red-zone offense and preview the matchup with UVA. Cory also shares his thoughts on some recruiting news taking place this week.

Direct download: Pack_Pride_Weekly_Podcast_ep_55.mp3
Category:Pack Pride Podcast -- posted at: 11:56am EDT

NC State moved to 2-1 on the young season with a 30-29 win over No. 24 Pitt to snap a five-game losing on the road in ACC play. Cory and Michael take a look back on the critical victory, including a breakdown of Devin Leary's four-touchdown performance and the injury-ravaged defense making stops at the end of the game.

What does Saturday's win mean for the program this season as a whole? How much better is the passing game with Leary under center? Which players earned game balls from Michael and Cory following the win?


The Wolfpack will look to bounce back from a rough outing in Blacksburg, Va., with a trip to take on No. 24 Pittsburgh this Saturday with a second straight road contest. With that in mind, we brought on Ed O'Brien of Panther247 to offer an in-depth look at the Panthers prior to Saturday's matchup.

Just how effective is the Panthers' experienced offense? What makes Pitt's defense so special? How important is this game for the Panthers with a chance to start 4-0 for the first time in two decades?


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