The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1013591
54 ■ THE WOLFPACKER Lou Holtz's 1974 squad posted a 12‑9 win over No. 7 Penn State. Fullback Stan Fritts (left) rushed for 112 yards and scored two touchdowns against the nation's top rushing defense. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS BY TIM PEELER W ith West Virginia, which checked in at No. 20 in the preseason coaches poll, coming to Carter-Finley Stadium Sept. 15, here's a look at some of the biggest non-conference, ranked opponents to ever travel to Raleigh to face NC State — a rare occurrence. The last time the Wolfpack hosted ranked, non-ACC foes was in 2008, when it beat No. 15 East Carolina 30-24 then lost to No. 13 South Florida the next week 41-10. The Pack has only hosted eight games against top-10, non-conference teams, half of which were against Penn State. Here are five notable contests. Tennessee 13, NC State 0 (Sept. 29, 1939) NC State did not score against Gen. Rob- ert Neyland's defending national champion Volunteers. Then again, neither did anyone else during the 1939 calendar year. Tennessee's year began with a 17-0 vic- tory over No. 4 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl Jan. 2, finishing off a perfect 11-0 season for the first football national cham- pionship in school history. Wolfpack head coach Williams "Doc" Newton invited Neyland and his squad to visit undersized Riddick Stadium to open the 1939 season, as part of a three-day celebration for the 50th anniversary of NC State College's opening. The grand gala weekend began with a Friday afternoon kickoff against the Volun- teers and its All-American tailback George "Bad News" Cafego, a game that predated the Associated Press preseason poll. Tennessee captain Sam Bartholomew returned the opening kickoff 80 yards to set up the game's first touchdown and Cafego led his team on another scoring drive, run- OUT-OF-CONFERENCE CHALLENGES With The Pack Prepared To Welcome West Virginia, Here's A Look Back At NC State's Best Non-ACC Home Games