On Saturday, Tennessee and North Carolina State will meet in Charlotte for the Duke's Mayo Classic.

Before the SEC and ACC showdown, NC State coach Dave Doeren met with the media.

Here's what he said about what the Vols bring to the table.

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"Now we get to go to Charlotte and excited for the opportunity to play in Bank of America Stadium versus Tennessee. A really good opponent that dominated their opening game against Chattanooga."

"Explosive offense with really talented players, up-tempo system. Coach Heupel and their staff do a great job making you defend 53 and a third and doing it in a way where it's not just dink and dunk, it's run game right at you, it's RPOs behind you, it's shots, screens, getting the ball in space, making you tackle, playing with tempo. It's a really good offense. They're committed to running the football. They were ninth in college football last year, rushing."

"Defensively, have probably the best defensive front we'll play when you look at the depth and talent that they have on their defensive line. Not that we won't see other talented d-lines, we will. With their depth, it's a strength of theirs, in my opinion. As you look at all the pieces that are on the field, and the skill, and the names and things like that, the front's where it's gonna be at. It's gonna be a trench game to win it."

"I think defensively, there's so many things you have to do well when you play an offense like this, but tackling is gonna be the premium. They're gonna complete balls. They're gonna throw hitches. They're gonna throw screens, the underneath stuff. We gotta do a great job limiting yards after catches and tackling their backs.

"Obviously, defending deep balls and all that goes into it. You can't let a five-yard game turn into a 10-yard game. You can't let a zero-yard pass turn into an efficient play. We've gotta tackle really well in this football game."

"There's no doubt it's gonna be a great environment. Charlotte, I think Danny Morrison and his team at the Duke Mayo's Classic do a tremendous job with the premium fan experience. I'm excited for both fan bases. It's gonna be a really passionate group on both sides and a fun game to be a part of it."

"Their quarterback, man, is he talented. He's fun to watch. His first college start in their bowl game, he rushed for three touchdowns. Saturday, he was completing every ball, throwing accurate, on time, shows touch, shows arm strength, shows mobility.

"His running backs run really hard, they protect well. He's got a veteran O-Line and a deep, fast receiver group that has a lot of different varieties in it. So it's a great challenge, a great opportunity that way."

"Excited about the game, the test, the opportunity to play a team like Tennessee. Two top 25 teams and I know we'll have a great week of preparation and look forward to the matchup. There's been a lot of talk about this game, going back to when we scheduled it, and I've known Josh Heupel a long time.

"I have a lot of respect for him as a coach, as a player, when he was a player. I've known him since I was at Kansas. Our head coach there was his offensive coordinator at Oklahoma. One of my best friends in the business, Seth Luttrell, and him were teammates. I've known Josh a long time. I think a lot of him. I'm excited to compete against him. These are great games. As a coach, you're tested. It's your staff against their staff."

"You got good players on both sides. It's a game that's obviously played in our state against a team whose state line touches ours. So, there's a lot to play for in a game like this. That's what it's all about. I'm excited for the opportunity.

"To win games like this, there's a lot of noise, and that's not what it's about. It's about executing. It's about fundamentals. It's about doing the right things in the game plan. It's about your mental preparation. It's about your emotional control. As coaches, getting these guys the best opportunity to play as fast as they can, as hard as they can, longer than the other team. It's gonna be a fun one. I'm really looking forward to the week and to get going."

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