UNC Football vs. NC State: X-Factor

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports On Saturday night, Florida State tore up the North Carolina Tar Heels defense for 432 yards of total offense, of which 241 were gained on the ground. After allowing an average of only 54 yards rushing in the first two games of the season, Carolina has allowed an average of 250 yards on the ground in the past two games.

This weekend, both UNC and NC State will focus on the opposition’s running game. The Tar Heels boast the 11th-best rushing offense in the country, and have a complementary tandem of running backs that continue to have a great season.

While the Wolfpack rank 46th in the nation, there are two factors why the UNC run defense is this week’s X-factor.

First…