2015 record: 7-6 (3-5 in ACC)

At the top of the ACC Atlantic are three teams eyeing a playoff berth. At the bottom, three teams are desperate to erase the memories of massive struggles in 2015. And in the middle, there’s NC State, a program with more talent than the private schools it shares a division with but still behind the big boys at the top. And as the Wolfpack get set to open the 2016 season, many fans are wondering just how much that scenario will change. Yes, Dave Doeren has led his team to bowl games in each of the last two years, but a weak nonconference schedule likely inflated the win totals, and a lack of a signature victory has still nagged at the team. The schedule gets tougher and the patience from the fan base a bit thinner this year, so the pressure to move closer to that top tier in the division is reaching its apex.

Three storylines to watch:

What will the offense look like?

There will be a new quarterback running the show, though it remains to be seen which one -- sophomore Jalan McClendon, redshirt freshman Jakobi Meyers and transfer Ryan Finley -- will land the starting job. Finley followed new offensive coordinator Eliah Drinkwitz from Boise State, so his familiarity with the system is probably the best of the three, while McClendon has a bit more experience. Regardless of who lands the gig, the offense is going to look much different. Drinkwitz wants to up the tempo and spread the ball around, making use of assets like Nyheim Hines, Matt Dayes and Jaylen Samuels. It’s a lot of adjustment in a short time, but NC State hopes the new scheme has a profound effect on evening the playing field with Florida State and Clemson in its division.

Bradley Chubb helps spearhead a NC State defense that ranked in the top 20 in 2015. Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire

Is the defense potentially one of the ACC’s best?

Players at NC State certainly think the defense is a sleeper candidate this year, and possibly a top-10 unit in the country. It’s a big goal, but perhaps not as unlikely as it may sound at first blush. The defensive line could be very good, with Bradley Chubb emerging as one of the top pass-rushers in the league, and B.J. Hill and Kentavius Street adding some serious heft. Linebackers Jerod Fernandez and Airius Moore are among the better tandems in the ACC, and the back end includes some established veterans such as Jack Tocho and Niles Clark.

Can NC State make the leap into the top tier of the league?

Through three years on the job, Doeren has done fine work of restocking the cupboard with talent, but the payoff to that potential hasn’t yet arrived. Against Power 5 opponents with a winning record, NC State is 0-18 under Doeren, so while the recruiting has improved, there’s still plenty of work to be done to close the gap with the teams the Wolfpack are chasing at the top of the division. The 2016 season won’t lack for opportunities to earn that signature win. NC State plays six teams -- including a brutal stretch against Notre Dame, Clemson and Louisville in consecutive weeks -- that are ranked in the preseason AP Top 25.