NC State Hosts Boston College on Homecoming

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Game 8: NC State (4-3, 1-2 ACC) vs. Boston College (3-4, 0-4 ACC)
October 29, 2016 • 12:30 p.m. • ACC Network/ACC Network Extra
Raleigh, N.C. • Carter-Finley Stadium (58,200)

TV: ACC Network/ACC Network Extra | Radio: Wolfpack Sports Network, Tunein, Sirius 113, XM 194
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RALEIGH, N.C. - For the third straight week, the NC State football team will be playing in a homecoming game, but this time, the Wolfpack (4-3, 1-2 ACC) will be the home team.

Following a pair of testy road trips to Clemson and Louisville -- two teams ranked in the top 10 of the national polls -- the Pack returns to the friendly confines of Carter-Finley Stadium, where it has posted a 4-0 record this season.

The Homecoming opponent on Saturday will be Boston College (3-4, 0-4 ACC), an Atlantic Division squad still seeking its first ACC victory. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m., and the game will be televised by the ACC Network.

"Being at home is big right now," said NC State head coach Dave Doeren. "We're excited to be off the road after back-to-back games like that. To be able to be back here in our routine and in our stadium is good. Homecoming is a special time for the alumni and the former players. For us, we obviously want to represent them in the right way."

This, according to Doeren, is like the beginning of a new season. In the preseason, most observers viewed consecutive games against Notre Dame, Clemson and Louisville as the most difficult stretch any team in college football would face in 2016.

NC State outlasted both the Irish and severe weather to earn a memorable win back on October 8th. The next week at Clemson, the Wolfpack played spectacular football before eventually falling in overtime. But in a 54-13 loss at Louisville a week ago, it was obvious that the previous two games had, perhaps predictably, taken a physical and mental toll on Doeren's team.

"We played a great game in (bad weather) to win and played a great game the next week," he said. "We were just flat last week. Our guys know what they can be and what they can't be. Now it's just time to hit reset and get back to where we were before. We have a five-game season and still have a chance to do a lot of things, and being undefeated at home is one of our goals. This is the next step in that."

Only five NC State teams have recorded unbeaten seasons at Carter-Finley Stadium (1967, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1986), so to become only the sixth club to do it would only be fitting in what is the 50th anniversary of the stadium.

There's every indication this team might be equipped to pull it off.

The Wolfpack has outscored the opposition 140-55 at home this season, while also holding a 430 to 238 advantage in average yards gained in four games. The Pack has also started fast at home, outscoring its four opponents 34-7 in the first quarter.

A quick start against a Boston College team that has struggled to throw the football this season would be a perfect recipe for victory on Saturday.

"They're a lot like Wake Forest in that they control the clock, they keep the ball away, they run the ball and they're very good on defense," Doeren said. "They're not built to catch-up because they're not a drop-back team that's built to throw the ball play in and play out. They want the lead and to be able to milk the clock and keep your offense off the field. We've got to play well early, whether we're on offense or defense, get field position, get scoring drives, not beat ourselves with penalties on drives and get touchdowns instead of field goals."

Boston College ranks third in the ACC in time of possession, averaging 33:43 per game on offense. And while they rank 14th in scoring offense (21 ppg), 14th in total offense (316.6) and 13th in pass offense (146.1), the Eagles have managed to rush for an average of 170 yards per game, a figure that ranks sixth in the league.

The status of Boston College starting quarterback Patrick Towles appears to be up in the air. A graduate student who started his career at Kentucky, Towles injured a hamstring on a 70-yard scoring run against Syracuse last week. Listed as questionable, Towles, if he can't play, would give way to redshirt sophomore Darius Wade, who has played sparingly in five games this season.

"[Wade] was their starter at the beginning of the season last year before he had an ankle injury, so you have that on film as well," said Doeren. "They don't change offensively other than that Darius is a left-handed quarterback, so some of the movement plays you'll get like bootlegs and sprint outs will go in the opposite direction. We recruited him in high school, so we thought he was a really good player coming out. You have to prepare for a lot of stuff this week because you're not sure which way it's going."

Boston College currently ranks seventh in the FBS in total defense, allowing 292.9 yards per game, although the Eagles have surrendered a high number of explosive plays through the air in ACC games.

With a 12:30 p.m. kickoff, the Wolfpack Sports Network begins its pregame coverage at 10:30 a.m. with the Matthews Motors Countdown to Kickoff. In hour two of the pregame show from the radio booth, former Wolfpack All-American Johnny Evans takes question from fans on 'Ask the Analyst.' Questions about Pack football can be sent to Johnny via Twitter @packradio or by click HERE.

A complete recap of the NC State-Boston College game will be available Sunday on the Dave Doeren TV Show. Click HERE for times and stations

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