South Carolina and North Carolina State face off in a non-conference matchup this weekend.

For USC, it’s a chance to rebound from a humbling loss to Life University. However, the Gamecocks are without a couple of their players that helped them win the SCRC in the fall, and so rebounding may not be as easy as they hope.

For NC State, this game essentially caps off their 15s efforts. They have been playing lower division college teams and men’s clubs through January to keep new recruits and all players active, but they will begin to transition to 7s after this week.

The game, then, for NC State is a way to re-establish what they felt all fall - that they’re a good team. NC State finished 4-2 in the ACRL, losing only to Clemson and Maryland. They then hammered Texas State in the ACRC Bowl Series as further proof that they are a strong program.

“We felt really good about the fall,” said flanker and club president Stephen Glass. “We have really good numbers now at every practice, and we’ve kept getting better. We feel this is a big game for us just in terms of keeping the momentum.

Captain and hooker TJ Dixon leads the squad, with locks Michael Dotterer and Adam Hockaday helping out up front. Backs Dominick Goldston, and Rashad Alston add to an effective offensive effort.

Glass said the Wolfpack is targeting the ACRL 7s later this spring, but it’s important to keep all of the players involved, whether in 7s or 15s. 

“For us we’ve been very good in the second half of games,” added Glass. Maybe they can be very good in the second half of the season, too.