NC State’s Coach Blasts NCAA in Wake of Holiday Bowl Cancellation

North Carolina State head coach Dave Doeren is not happy with the NCAA for its decision not to award his team its 10th win of the season after UCLA was forced to pull out of the Holiday Bowl due to a COVID-19 issue. Doeren went on a rant to media Wednesday night in the aftermath.

Doeren took a direct shot at the organization, jokingly suggesting the acronym should stand for "No Clue At All." Here's what he had to say, via Pack Pride.

“Well the NCAA stands for ‘No Clue At All’ in my opinion so I don’t really care what they say about it. But our guys, like I said we took a roster of guys down there with zero COVID issues, practiced every day and did everything right and didn't get a chance to play the game.

“As far as I’m concerned we did beat them. They couldn’t even get to the field, you know? So you can say whatever you want but if look at the College Football Playoff definition of what’s going to happen if that happens in one of their games, that team is forfeiting. So I feel like we’re following the same guidelines that those bowl games are going to follow.”

Part of Doeren‘s frustration stems from the timing of UCLA’s decision. The Bruins announced they wouldn’t be fielding a team just over four hours before kickoff.

NC State and the Holiday Bowl worked Tuesday night to try to find a new opponent for the Wolfpack, calling “north of 10 teams” to try to make something work. But the game was officially canceled on Wednesday morning after it appeared there would be no takers. 

Despite Doeren’s opinion on the matter, the NCAA record books will see NC State finish with a 9–3 mark and no postseason bowl game. What the school claims may be a different story.