Miami Playmakers NC State Will Need to Watch Out For
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RALEIGH — NC State already found a way to upset a team with one of the most explosive offenses in the country when it took down Georgia Tech, then ranked No. 8 in the country.
The Wolfpack's reward? Another matchup against a ranked opponent after getting a bye week to rest. This week's challenge, No. 16 Miami, also boasts a dynamic offense loaded with future NFL players in the trenches and at the skill positions.
NC State's defense remains beat up, but it will need to find a way to at least slow down several key members of Mario Cristobal's Hurricane offense.
The Hurricanes NC State Must Contain
Malachi Toney
When breaking down Miami during his Monday press conference, Toney, or "No. 10" as he called him, was the first player referenced by NC State head coach Dave Doeren in his scouting report for the media. The freshman wide receiver has been a remarkable addition to the Hurricanes, especially given the noise that the program lost too much talent at the skill positions heading into the season.
Toney caught 54 passes for 644 yards and three touchdowns in Miami's first nine games, proving to be Carson Beck's most reliable receiving option even at such a young age. He caught just two passes for 12 yards against Syracuse after taking a big hit, so he could be in line for a bounce-back performance against the Wolfpack.
Carson Beck
Now in his fifth season and third as a full-time starter, Beck is one of the most experienced players in all of college football. His final season has been filled with ups, like wins over Notre Dame and Florida State, and lows, such as his three multi-interception performances. While Beck's ceiling looked like that of a Heisman contender, turnovers are his Achilles heel, just as they were at Georgia.
The Wolfpack hasn't forced turnovers at a high rate in the 2025 season, but if Beck is lacking accuracy, there will be opportunities to change those misfortunes. He's thrown 15 touchdowns to nine interceptions so far.
Mark Fletcher Jr.
Miami can attack through the air with Beck and Toney and pound on the ground with Fletcher, one of the ACC's most talented running backs. Through the first nine games, the junior rushed for 636 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging just over five yards per carry. The Hurricanes were without Fletcher against Syracuse and only averaged 3.9 yards on the ground.
His impact on the offense is enormous, so his absence against the Wolfpack would be a huge bonus for a defense that has struggled against the run with consistency. If Fletcher is available, the Wolfpack linebackers will need to be on their A-game against the Hurricanes. Miami doesn't run the ball a lot, averaging just 36.8 carries per game, but when they do, they are hard to beat.
Francis Mauigoa
Miami entered the season with the potential to have one of the best offensive lines in the country. For the most part, they've lived up to that billing, in large part due to Mauigoa's efforts at right tackle. The Samoan junior has been one of the best at his position in the country.
In 290 pass protection opportunities, Mauigoa has allowed Beck to be sacked twice and pressured just eight times. Among right tackles with over 200 snaps, the junior's 86.3 pass protection score ranks fifth on Pro Football Focus. He poses a major challenge for NC State's primary pass rushers, Cian Slone and Sabastian Harsh.
Francis Mauigoa is a true people mover and has really found his footing at tackle 🙌 pic.twitter.com/zQ99UC6ARz
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) October 9, 2025
At 6-foot-6, 315 pounds, Mauigoa can seriously create space in the pass game and the run game. While he hasn't been as strong in the run game as he has when blocking for Beck, Miami has rushed for 307 yards and six touchdowns when running directly behind him and on his right edge of the offensive line.
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Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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