NC State Football

The unranked North Carolina State Wolfpack will try and take down the No. 2 Florida State Seminoles as prohibitive road underdogs this Saturday afternoon at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee.

Kickoff for this ACC clash is set for 3:30 p.m. (ET), and the game will be broadcast nationally on ABC.

The Wolfpack come into this game with an overall record of 3-3 both straight up and against the spread, but they have just one straight up win in their last four games. They will be coming off a bye after falling to Syracuse 24-10 on Oct. 12 as 6.5-point home favorites.

The total stayed “under” the 52.5-point line, and it has stayed under in five of the first six games.

Florida State debuted at No. 2 in the initial BCS rankings for the season after dismantling then-No. 3 Clemson 51-14 this past Saturday night as a five-point road favorite.

The Seminoles are now 6-0 SU and a very profitable 5-1 ATS. The total went well “over” the 63-point line against the Tigers, and it has gone over in all six games.

NC State at Florida State Betting Storylines

NC State has shown some solid balance on offense this season between the pass and the run, but that has not always translated to points on the board.

It is ranked 90th in the nation in scoring with an average of 24.7 points a game. In its last three losses, this unit has only managed to score a combined total of 37 points.

The player to watch on this side of the ball is Pete Thomas. He has thrown for 1,314 yards and three touchdowns while adding another 184 yards and two scores on the ground.

The Wolfpack’s bend-but-don’t-break defense is ranked 27th in the nation in points allowed.

They held Clemson to 26 points earlier in the season and have not given up more than 28 points in a game all season long. This could be NC State’s only hope to try and keep this game close against their Atlantic Division rival.

The Seminoles come into this matchup flying high after putting themselves in prime position for a berth in the BCS title game. The key will be to avoid looking past a game like this in anticipation of next Saturday’s showdown against No. 7 Miami.

All indications are that they will continue to roll after blowing out the first six teams they faced. The tightest margin of victory so far this season was 14 points against Boston College as 23.5-point road favorites.

Florida State could be the most complete team in college football with a high-powered offense that is averaging 53.2 points a game, complementing a defense that is holding teams to just 12.3 points a contest.

Freshman quarterback Jameis Winston has thrust himself into the Heisman Trophy picture with 1,885 yards passing and 20 touchdown throws while completing 71.3 percent of his 157 attempts.

 

NC State at Florida State Betting Odds and Trends by 5Dimes

Point Spread: Florida State -29

Total Line: OFF

The Wolfpack are 20-6-2 ATS in their last 28 games following a SU loss but just 1-7-1 ATS in their last nine road games. The total was under in their last four conference games.

The Seminoles are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a SU win and 4-0 ATS in their last four games at home. The total has gone over in seven of their last nine home games.

Head-to-head in this ACC matchup, the underdog is 12-3-1 ATS in the last 16 meetings, and the total has stayed under in five of the last six games. Last season NC State stunned Florida State 17-16 as a 17-point home underdog. They are 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.

 

College Football Picks: NC State at Florida State Betting Predictions

Common sense might dictate that the Seminoles should cover this spread with ease, but past trends in this matchup tell me otherwise.

Florida State can say they will be able to put last week’s huge victory behind them and keep next week’s clash against one of their most bitter rivals on the back burner to play this game, but I am not buying. NC State will still get their doors blown off but not by more than 29 points.

Take: # 161 North Carolina State (+ 29) over Florida State (3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26)

It was clear Thursday night and it was still clear Friday morning—North Carolina State wide receiver Bryan Underwood scored on an 83-yard touchdown run against Clemson, a play that would have tied the game at 13 in the third quarter. 

But the line judge didn't think so, at least not in the speed of the moment, and determined Underwood had stepped out of bounds while he was tiptoeing along the sidelines near midfield. Underwood's would-be touchdown run, which would have tied the game at 13, was instead ruled a 36-yard run. 

Three plays later, Wolfpack quarterback Pete Thomas fumbled the ball and Clemson recovered. That resulted in a touchdown drive for the Tigers and a major swing in the game. Clemson would go on to win 26-14. 

Whether things would have turned out differently if Underwood's touchdown had counted is a moot point. However, that doesn't mean that the ruling on the field Thursday night was acceptable. North Carolina State earned that score and they deserved to have it count. 

Once an official blows his whistle to rule a player out of bounds, though, the play is dead and it can't be reviewed further (provided it's not within 5 yards of the end zone). 

Human error, from officials to players to coaches, is part of the game. From an officiating standpoint, though, the point of instant replay is to minimize that error as much as possible. 

The fact that replay isn't even allowed to examine a post-whistle play like Underwood's is ridiculous when you consider that other post-whistle plays, like a potential fumble, can be. 

But, as they say, "them's the rules". And, specifically, the rule in question is Rule 12, Section 3, Article 3, Provision G, which states, "Ball carrier in or out of bounds. If a ball carrier is ruled out of bounds, the play is not reviewable, except as in Rules 12-3-1-a and 12-3-3-d." 

(Hat tip: Matt Zemek of CollegeFootballNews) 

The spirit of that rule dictates that, if a player is ruled out of bounds, the play is over and everyone on the field is no longer in a position to make a play. However, in Underwood's case, Clemson defenders were still chasing him as though the play was alive. 

That would be an instance where common sense has to prevail over the rule in place. The line judge made a mistake Thursday night by blowing the play dead prematurely and with an obstructed view. It was the wrong call, which happens. Fix it. Or, at least, give it the opportunity to be fixed. 

For as controversial as the ejection-for-targeting rule is, it at least has the opportunity to be overturned if the ejection isn't warranted. (The 15-yard penalty is still enforced, however, and that's a separate conversation.) 

Does every dead ball rule need to be changed? Not necessarily, but NC State coach Dave Doeren should at least have had the opportunity to challenge the ruling Thursday night. If the play in question resulted in a score, it should be under further review regardless of the ruling. The fact that rules and replays are treated as separate conversations in the NCAA's rulebook, when they often are so closely connected, makes no sense whatsoever. 

The technology of instant replay is there. It's good technology. Use it to its fullest extent. 

With the 2013 college football season rapidly approaching, fans are craving any and every taste of what is to come in what should be an invigorating year.As we inch closer to the action kicking off on Aug. 29, I'll release a schedule analysis for a new ACC school every other day. For now, let's take a look at the N.C. State Wolfpack:

Outlook

Aug. 31 — Louisiana Tech

Sept. 7 — Richmond

Sept. 14 — Open

Sept. 19 — Clemson

Sept. 28 — Central Michigan

Oct. 5 — at Wake Forest

Oct. 12 — Syracuse

Oct. 19 — Open

Oct. 26 — at Florida State

Nov. 2 — North Carolina

Nov. 9 — at Duke

Nov. 16 — at Boston College

Nov. 23 — East Carolina

Nov. 30 — Maryland

Schedule obtained from the official website of N.C. State athletics.

For the first time since 2009, N.C. State will play host in each of its four non-conference games. While that alone makes this sound like a desirable slate, the fact that the Wolfpack have to leave the state of North Carolina only twice makes this potentially the most favorable schedule of any ACC team.

The Pack open their season with four straight games in Carter-Finley Stadium, and that's just an additional benefit for a team facing most of its concerns on offense. North Carolina and Duke represent the crossover opponents from the Coastal Division, and it's not out of the realm of possibility that N.C. State could win both of those.

Still, Dave Doeren has a lot of work to do in getting this team ready in his first year as head coach of the Wolfpack. There may be tremendous opportunity lying ahead, but with the current state of the program, success won't be a given.

Best-Case Scenario

Before Aug. 31 even rolls around, N.C. State picks up a major victory in preseason practice with the emergence of an undisputed starter at quarterback.  

It could be Pete Thomas, who came out of spring practice as the top man, or it may be Brandon Mitchell, an Arkansas transfer whose skill set most closely resembles that of Doeren's quarterbacks at Northern Illinois. Either way, if the coaching staff can find the answer to this question before the season starts, it will solve a lot of problems.

With the right man under center, the Pack take advantage of a home-field advantage that has driven them to a 16-3 record in Raleigh over the last three seasons.  

The early stretch of home games gives the offense time to get in sync, and Dontae Johnson joins Juston Burris in reloading a secondary that lost two players to the NFL draft.

As the most surprising team in the conference, N.C. State finishes 7-1 in Carter-Finley and notches the 10-win mark for the second time in school history after defeating Wake Forest, Duke and Boston College on the road. The Wolfpack fall short of winning the Atlantic but celebrate an otherwise fantastic year.

Worst-Case Scenario

Two words will ultimately sum up 2013 for Doeren and this group: quarterback controversy. Former coach Tom O'Brien began his six-year run at N.C. State with a home loss to a Conference USA squad, and Doeren does the same when his team fails to score enough points to down Louisiana Tech.

The Pack miss Mike Glennon, but the glaring lack of playmakers also factors into the misery on offense. A Thursday night blowout loss to Clemson kills team morale, and the Wolfpack continue their struggles at Wake Forest, where they haven't won since 2001, and in Chestnut Hill, where they still haven't picked up a conference win since the Eagles joined the ACC.

The low point of the season comes in a loss to rival North Carolina, and N.C. State looks back wondering what could have been after ending the year with only four wins.

Bottom Line

This team is not a contender for the division. It's probably not even good for double-digit wins. That being said, it's not at all unreasonable to expect a bowl berth in Doeren's inaugural year in Raleigh.

Even if the situation at QB isn't ideal, there are two major reasons why the Pack should finish 2013 with at least a .500 record: There are several winnable games on this schedule, and much of O'Brien's solid 2010 recruiting class still remains.  

Those are crucial elements in determining a team's chances on the gridiron, and this year, they make it likely that N.C. State will be bowl-bound in December.

Also check out:

Schedule analysis for Maryland

Schedule analysis for Syracuse

Follow me on Twitter at @MarkCCarroll

Less than a month after being given a release from the University of Arkansas, quarterback Brandon Mitchell has decided that he will enroll at North Carolina State for his senior season. 

The news comes from ESPN's Joe Schad:

Former Arkansas QB Brandon Mitchell said Monday he will enroll at NC State

— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) May 20, 2013

Mitchell, a former 3-star recruit out of Amite, La., appeared in 21 games during his three years with the Razorbacks. 

He completed 58.1 percent of his throws for 332 yards, three touchdowns and one interception for a solid QB rating of 141.4. In 2012, he showed potential as a receiver, pulling in 17 catches for 272 yards. 

Once he was officially beaten out by sophomore Brandon Allen for the right to fill Tyler Wilson's large shoes in 2013, Mitchell decided it was time for new scenery.   

Arkansas' loss is NC State's gain. 

The Wolfpack finished 7-6 last season after losing to Vanderbilt in the Music City Bowl, but with the hiring of former Northern Illinois miracle-worker Dave Doeren, expectations for 2013 were still high. 

With the departure of Mike Glennon to the NFL, however, the Wolfpack were left with quite a bit of inexperience under center.

Colorado State transfer Pete Thomas and sophomore Manny Stocker were the only incumbents expected to compete for snaps. 

But now Mitchell, who has the experience and versatility to serve as an intriguing fit in Doeren's up-tempo offense, will likely step in as the starter. Because he graduated from Arkansas, he is eligible to play immediately. 

There are still plenty of question marks surrounding Doeren's squad in his first season as head coach, but the addition of Mitchell has the Wolfpack suddenly looking like a much more intriguing pick in the ACC this year.  

Kentavius Street is a 5-star defensive end and is one of the better defensive recruits in the country, so he basically has his pick of schools when it comes to the recruiting process.

It should come as somewhat of a surprise then that N.C. State appears to be a major option for the talented strong-side defensive end.

It becomes less surprising when you realize that he's from Greenville, N.C. That doesn't change the fact that N.C. State should be considered an underdog when going up against the likes of Georgia, Florida State, Alabama, Ole Miss, Louisville and other big-time programs that have attempted to recruit Street.

In this case, "underdog" would be the improper term because Street just recently visited N.C. State, according to Ryan Tice of TheWolfpacker.com, and came away with rave reviews:

"It was crazy," Street remembered. "It surprised me how all the alumni came back, it really shows a lot about the program and how good they treat the players there. I really don't have any words for it, it was just amazing.

"I was always considering them, but it definitely moved them up my list."

The visit was so good in fact that the whole tone of his recruitment has been changed, per Tice:

The visit has forced Street to re-think everything about his favorite schools. He was asked if he had a top group and had an interesting reply. 

"At the moment, no," he said. "After having that visit, it shook up my whole recruiting plan."

When asked if that was a good thing for NC State he said, "yes," and continued by talking about how close he feels with the coaches recruiting him for the Pack, defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Ryan Nielsen and running backs coach Des Kitchings, the lone holdover on the staff who has a long-time relationship with the defensive star.

N.C. State should not be considered the underdog in the race for Street. If anything, the Wolfpack have just become the major sleeper for his commitment.

Raleigh, N.C. is just under an hour and a half away from Greenville, so Street could stay rather close to home if he were to pick the Wolfpack. He'd also arguably be their marquee recruit, considering he's the No. 3 strong-side defensive end in the 2014 class (247Sports Composite) and you can tell that the staff is focused on pulling out all the stops to get his recruitment. Tice's report highlighted events, such as Street being able to try on a N.C. State jersey and helmet.  They also let him stand in the middle of the field while they turned on the lights, which Street described as "breathtaking."

Per Tice, Street has recently visited Duke, Virginia Tech and East Carolina, with trips to Florida State, Georgia and Georgia Tech planned in the future. Ole Miss and Louisville may get visits and Alabama could see Street at camp (Tice). 

For what it's worth, 247Sports has Georgia as the leader on its interest list, followed by Clemson, Florida State, Virginia Tech and Alabama.

If N.C. State were to out-recruit the field it would go down as a massive recruiting win and upset, but to act like it can't happen would be naive on my part.

Street obviously really likes N.C. State and it is well deserving of the sleeper tag. In fact, the Wolfpack should be considered a legitimate contender in this recruiting race.

North Carolina State: the coolest recruiters in the schoolyard.

A new, too-hip-to-be-square recruiting campaign is apparently under way at NC State, with high school prospects beginning to receive the first wave of these ridiculous new form letters from NC State director of personnel Drew Hughes.

The note includes lines such as "WHAT UP Big Time?!!" and "I LOVE THE WAY YOU BALL!!" and other classics.

The message appears to be, “We’re different here at North Carolina State. We’re not like all those other schools who are slaves to the system, man. We get you. That’s why we didn’t mass produce a bunch of letters in your dad’s old font. Times New Roman is for computer programmers and snitches.”

Reactions to the note have been...different:

Creative, but looks like a hastily written ransom note. "@LostLettermen: NC State Recruiter Pens Hilarious Letter: http://t.co/cjSmlS48Hd"

— Noel, Joyeux (@NoelAbstract) March 15, 2013

NC State's Drew Hughes just penned the greatest football recruiting letter of all time: http://t.co/UVlxjcc7Gq

— College Sports Only 🏈 🏀 ⚾️ (@CollegeSportsO) March 15, 2013

Nice photocopied "personal" letter, State.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/2013/3/13/4099… Nothing reels in recruits like the transitive property. #GoHeelsGoAmerica

— Mark Hosemann (@markhosemann) March 14, 2013

Obviously, the attempt here is to relate to young high school athletes and reach out to them in a sexy, “Vote or Die” kind of way. The “WHAT UP Big Time?!!” introduction line certainly does make an attempt at stroking the ego.

The note appears to be handwritten, although we’ll see if that holds up or more of these crop up in recruits' mailboxes in the future. 

Is it desperate? Awesome? Too much cowbell?

Any way you slice it, you can’t say Hughes didn’t try something different. And at least he held back on doodling skateboards or "YOLO" on it.

Info courtesy of LostLettermen.com.

Hey, Big Time. I need ballers to follow me: Dr__Carson

Every year in the NFL Draft, there is one quarterback that, seemingly out of nowhere, rises up the draft boards rapidly despite questions about their abilities at the next level.

They are not first overall, but they are always in the top half of the first round, only to end up out of the league in five years. This was the case for Vince Young, and looks like it will be the case for Blaine Gabbert.

In fact, watching Gabbert's rise through the draft immediately makes me think of what is happening with Mike Glennon. In a year without any elite quarterbacks, all of a sudden various NFL experts are putting him as a top quarterback in mock drafts.

Why is this the case? Why is a quarterback moving from no mock drafts to as high as first overall in a few? Why Glennon?

The reason is very simple. In fact, it's too simple. He has the prototypical size and strength to play quarterback in the NFL. Who else had ideal size?

Oh right, Matt Leinart and Gabbert did. Sure, size can help a quarterback see his receivers better over his offensive line, but it does not automatically make a great quarterback.

To go with his size, he has great arm strength, and while it is not a rocket arm, it is better than most of the prospects in this year's draft class, possibly the best. Working in a pro style system at NC State helps big time as well.

Glennon can also take a few big hits in the pocket without teams having to worry about him getting injured. Again, that's all well and good, but it does not automatically make a great quarterback.

The first thing many note on the weakness side is his utter lack of mobility. Athletic quarterbacks are becoming more the norm in the NFL, but I can look the other way on that as long as he can throw the ball well.

More than anything, an NFL quarterback needs excellent judgment and the ability to throw the ball both far and accurately. Here's where we get into Glennon's weaknesses.

When watching back tapes of him, I saw wide receivers, especially around the numbers, having to reach for balls even when they were not thrown that far downfield. His 58.5% completion percentage his senior year was on him, and I'd expect better at the college level.

Aside from that, his footwork just was not very good, and by extension it showed a lack of a pocket presence.

That, along with some of his judgment calls, could be blamed on an offensive line that had some bad games. Perhaps that is why some are looking the other way at his weaknesses.

When you are drafted high though, you will likely be playing for a team with a bad offensive line. If he could not work around that in college, he will not in the NFL, where defenses will be that much tougher.

Perhaps I am jumping the gun on him not being an NFL quarterback, but when I watch him against Florida State, Miami, and others, he just does not look that good as a quarterback. In fact, NC State upsetting Florida State surprises me in hindsight when I watch him.

If I am jumping the gun, then others are doing the same in making him a top three quarterback prospect. Yes, it is a poor QB class, but right now Glennon should not be in first round discussions.

The Senior Bowl later this month will likely mean more for him than anyone else. A good outing will cement his first round status, while a poor outing could justify those in my camp and send him on a downward spiral.

Unless he is coached very well in the NFL and gets put in an ideal situation, the team who drafts him in the first round will look back and regret it.

North Carolina State lost its first bowl matchup since 2008, and quarterback Mike Glennon has hurt his NFL stock in the same game. In the 38-24 loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores, the Wolf Pack and the senior quarterback really couldn't have played any worse.

A nationally televised game really could have been the door that helped open things up for the North Carolina State quarterback. Instead, the performance is something that may have knocked him completely out of the first round and could make things interesting in the second and third.

With guys such as Matt Barkley, Geno Smith and Tyler Wilson in the mix, it would have taken a great combine to top those guys on the draft board. However, he could have easily trumped guys on the bubble such as Ryan Nassib and Tyler Bray with a great performance today.

You can simply forget about that now.

Glennon finished the game against Vanderbilt with three interceptions and only one touchdown pass.

Keep in mind that this was against a middle-of-the-road team in the SEC. Sure, the Commodores have had some serious success under head coach James Franklin, but they still aren't a loaded defense with elite athletes everywhere you look. If Glennon had a hard time in this matchup, the NFL isn't going to look pretty.

The numbers really don't even indicate just how bad the senior was in this matchup. He consistently forced the ball into places where he shouldn't have thrown it. He displayed a serious lack of mobility, and he couldn't step up to avoid pressure. When Vanderbilt got to Glennon is when the turnovers were forced and is when things got ugly for North Carolina State.

This really shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody who has followed the Wolf Pack this season, as Glennon has been really hot and cold throughout the year. He has played well in games against Florida State, Clemson and North Carolina, but he was horrendous against Tennessee, Virginia and now Vanderbilt.

There are a lot of things to like about Glennon. He has an unusual frame at 6'6", 232 pounds and a very long body that helps him see the field well. He also has arguably the strongest arm in this draft class and is capable of putting a little mustard on the ball when he needs to.

All of the tools are there that make for a player with tremendous upside, but performances like today's are too horrifying to overlook.

Glennon had a chance to make a name for himself and separate from the mediocre guys that have question marks heading into the draft in April. Unfortunately, it turns out the North Carolina State quarterback is still one of those guys that NFL teams will worry about.

In the aftermath of Tom O'Brien being fired as NC State head coach, the Wolfpack must gear up for a bowl game while the administration assesses candidates in its nationwide search for his successor.

This situation may serve as a distraction, but there are several candidates who would be logical fits to fill the vacancy for 2013 and beyond. It simply depends on what AD Debbie Yow is looking for. In an AP report published by USA Today, Yow explained her reasoning for dismissing O'Brien to the rest of the staff and players:

Yow said she met with O'Brien on Friday to discuss the future of the program, then notified him of her decision Sunday before meeting with the coaching staff and players.

"I told them it's really fairly simple...Coach O'Brien and I agree on the goal of becoming a Top 25 program. We just don't agree on what it takes to do that, how to get there."

Securing the program's fourth bowl bid in his sixth season—and a huge upset over former No. 3 Florida State—wasn't enough for O'Brien to hold on.

Here is a list of good fits for the Wolfpack program—some coming at a greater expense and perhaps a little less realistic than others.

Mike Bobo

There may not be a lot of buzz for the Georgia Bulldogs offensive coordinator, but his record in Athens speaks for itself. Bobo also serves as the quarterback coach and could be a valuable asset for recruiting top-tier QB prospects to the Wolfpack.

Players who have thrived under his tutelage include No. 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford, D.J. Shockley and current signal-caller Aaron Murray.

The recent history of the NC State program boasts the likes of Russell Wilson and Mike Glennon, who were both prolific collegiate passers. Having the right guy under center can do so much for a program, and Bobo certainly knows how to groom a quarterback.

Bobo has also learned from one of the best in Mark Richt, and has had to match wits with some of the most brilliant defensive minds in the country in the SEC. Despite having no head coaching experience, Bobo should be ready for a head coaching gig at this point.

At 38 years old, Bobo is still pretty young, and a successful stint at NC State could lead to a top gig at an SEC school someday.

Darrell Hazell

The current Kent State head coach has the Golden Flashes shockingly in contention for a potential BCS bowl bid entering Week 14. What he has done in just two years at Kent is nothing short of remarkable.

After enduring a turbulent 5-7 season in 2011, the Golden Flashes overcame a Week 2 blowout loss at Kentucky to rattle off 10 straight wins and rank 17th in the latest BCS standings.

Hazell has had experience at some of the nation's elite programs as an assistant. It began at West Virginia then at Rutgers under current Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano and on Jim Tressel's staff at Ohio State.

Hazell's heavy run-first mentality has served Kent State well, as running backs Dri Archer and Trayion Durham have far exceeded 1,000 yards in 2012. Bringing that physical tone to the Wolfpack would be key, and it would give Hazell an opportunity to helm a bigger school.

Considering he has done well enough to get the amount of talent to be a legitimate BCS factor with the Golden Flashes, it would be interesting to see how he could do with the Wolfpack's recruiting.

Butch Jones

Sure to be a hot name in any head coach search, Jones has enjoyed successful head coaching tenures at both Central Michigan and Cincinnati. Each time, he has succeeded current Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly, who isn't going to leave the Fighting Irish any time soon.

That means that Jones will have to succeed someone else for a head coaching position. 

Unlike the other two candidates on this list, Jones is an advocate of the spread offense—which is what many of the country's most successful programs utilize today. It will just be a matter of recruiting the right personnel to run his system, something Jones has been able to do at every stop he's made. 

With a career record of 49-27, Jones is a proven winner and someone whom the Wolfpack administration can bank on to have an immediate impact.

Jones will command a higher salary than the other candidates due to his successful track record elsewhere, but the 44-year-old Bearcats coach would be well worth the asking price.

Both among the ACC's biggest disappointments of 2012, the Boston College Eagles and North Carolina State Wolfpack will look to finish off their regular seasons with a victory on Saturday in Raleigh.

The Eagles come into Saturday's contest at 2-9 and just one of those wins came against an FBS opponent. 

N.C. State (6-5), meanwhile, can thank a shocking upset over Florida State this season for helping clinch its bowl eligibility. So even though the season hasn't gone as planned, the Wolfpack at least has some bowl game to look forward to in December.

This game certainly won't be a contest with the intrigue of USC vs. Notre Dame, but considering the college football season is about to end, we may want to cherish every game while it's still here. 

With that in mind, here is a complete breakdown of everything you need to know about Saturday's contest. 

When: Saturday, Nov. 24 at 3:00 p.m. ET

Where: Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, NC

Watch: ESPN3

Listen: Eagles Radio Network, Bulldogs Radio Network

Stream: ESPN3

Betting Line: North Carolina State (-14), via Vegas Insider

Boston College Injuries (via USA Today)

DL Kieran Borcich, Leg, Questionable

RB Andre Williams, Abdominal, Questionable

G Ian White, Ankle, Questionable

LB Nick Lifka, Foot, Questionable

DT Jaryd Rudolph, Leg, Questionable

DT Kaleb Ramsey, Leg, Questionable

WR Bobby Swigert, Knee, Out for Season

RB Tahi Kimble, Leg, Out for Season

DB Al Louis-Jean Jr., Foot, Out

G Harris Williams, Foot, Out 

 

North Carolina State Injuries (via USA Today)

G Duran Christophe, Concussion, Questionable

CB Jarvis Byrd, Thigh, Questionable

HB James Washington, Knee, Out for Season

DE Forrest West, Ankle, Out for Season

G Zach Allen, Leg, Out for Season

DT Jacob Kahut, Knee, Out for Season

LB Michael Peek, Knee, Out for Season

Bowl Implications

Already bowl-eligible, the result of this contest will essentially determine the Wolfpack's destination in December.

A win and they will likely head somewhere like the Russell Athletic Bowl to play against the second-place finisher from the Big East. On the other hand, a loss sends N.C. State into flux, where its ultimate destination will be determined by the result of other ACC members' games on Saturday.

As for Boston College, playing in a bowl game has been a pipe dream for the past few weeks. A win would simply give the Eagles solace that they took away a bigger bowl payout from their opponent.

What They're Saying

Oft-criticized Boston College head coach Frank Spaziani has been taking some extra heat this week following last week's loss to Virginia Tech. With about a minute to go and the game tied at 23-23, Spaziani decided to play for overtime rather than go for the win.

Considering the team's 2-8 record coming into that contest, fans were understandably a little peeved with the conservative call. Nonetheless, the embattled coach said he would do the same thing over again, according to the Boston Globe's Julian Benbow:

Spaziani said, if anything, he might have gone with a screen instead of a draw play, near the end of the game, but otherwise he was OK with the decision to go to extra time.

“I would do the same thing,” he said. “That’s why we try to take the feelings out of it. We try to do a professional job with it. That’s what coaches do.”

On the other side of the field, the Wolfpack faithful aren't exactly happy with the job Tom O'Brien has done in 2012, either. 

Still, a victory on Saturday would mean a great deal for N.C. State's bowl bid, a fact that O'Brien acknowledged when he met with the media on Monday.

Here is what the coach said, via Scout.com's Derek Medlin:

The only thing we can control is beating Boston College. If we do that and win seven games, I know this, Duke and Georgia Tech both have to win to get to seven. We could be the only seven-win team still in contention. Three of us are playing to get to that seven-win level, and that's what we're playing for.

Boston College Player to Watch: QB Chase Rettig

While 2012 certainly hasn't gone the way anyone associated with the Eagles wanted, they still can take solace in the improvement of their passing game. 

Quarterback Chase Rettig, though inconsistent, has been a major catalyst in that improvement. The junior signal-caller has thrown for 2,932 yards and 17 touchdowns against 10 interceptions and has three 300-plus-yard games this season.

With the run game essentially at a standstill, Boston College's results have been contingent on the play of Rettig. 

Luckily for the Rettig, a matchup against the worst pass defense in the ACC awaits. Coming into Week 13, N.C. State has given up 274.4 yards per game and allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 60.4 percent of their passes.

If Rettig is able to bounce back from his poor performance last week against Virginia Tech and torch the Wolfpack's secondary, Boston College may be able to pull off a shocking upset.

North Carolina State Player to Watch: QB Mike Glennon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tJIudSvVig

Despite getting the loss, Mike Glennon was nothing short of fantastic last week against Clemson.

The senior quarterback went 29-of-53 passing for 493 yards and five touchdowns against one interception, though he was overshadowed by an equally spectacular performance from Tajh Boyd.

For Glennon, that spectacular performance has become the norm this season. Playing with lesser talent around him than in 2011, he's still managed to put up a career high in yards (3,403) and needs just five more touchdowns to eclipse his 31 from last season.

Although the Eagles' true defensive deficiency comes against the run, Glennon should still have no problem putting up strong numbers. Boston College comes into Saturday struggling in underneath coverage, allowing the highest completion percentage to opposing quarterbacks in the ACC (62.1).

Glennon simply needs to pump the brakes on his aggressive tendencies and take the underneath throws the Eagles give him. Doing that should lead to another great game and a victory for the Wolfpack.

Key Matchup: WR Alex Amidon vs. North Carolina State's Secondary

It seems like, all season, the Eagles' effectiveness in the passing game has come down to Alex Amidon's ability to get open.

The junior receiver leads the conference in receptions (75) and receiving yards (1,175) and averages a strong 15.7 yards per reception despite not being much of a deep threat. 

If the Wolfpack want to make Saturday easy on themselves, they need to focus their game plan on stopping Amidon first and foremost. Rettig has looked dreadful in games where Amidon hasn't performed up to par, as the rest of the receiving corps is middling at best.

N.C. State is certainly the favorite on Saturday, but if Amidon breaks out, it will be interesting to see if this is the blowout the oddsmakers expect.

Prediction

The Wolfpack secondary hasn't shown anything that makes me believe they will be able to stop Amidon, so this game will be closer than expected. 

Nevertheless, Glennon is firing on all cylinders at the moment and Boston College's inability to finish drives has hurt it all season.

N.C. State won't cover, but the team will come away with its seventh victory on Saturday.

North Carolina State 31, Boston College 23

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