BC brings 12-game ACC losing streak into visit to NC State
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Now that North Carolina State is aware of Boston College's long losing streak in the ACC, the Wolfpack want no part of being the team to end it.
The Eagles haven't won an Atlantic Coast Conference game in nearly two full years, and bring a 12-game league losing streak into Saturday's game at N.C. State.
''We're frustrated with where we are right now, we also are encouraged by where the potential is, and we've got to keep developing, blossoming, and we're not that far off,'' coach Steve Addazio said.
Not a lot has gone right recently for the Eagles (3-4, 0-4), who have fallen back into last place in the Atlantic Division after two straight league losses . They rank last in the league in both points (21) and total yards (316.6) per game, and haven't won a conference game since November 2014.
The Wolfpack players insisted they were unaware of BC's run of in-league futility.
''Winning a football game is hard right now - it's a play here or a play there,'' N.C. State coach Dave Doeren said. ''I look at the film and see BC as a very physical, formidable opponent. ... You've got to do things right to beat them.''
Doeren and the Wolfpack (4-3, 1-2) know all about the difficulties of winning lately. N.C. State seemingly had No. 3 Clemson beat two weeks ago , but missed a chip-shot field goal at the end of regulation and lost in overtime, then followed that up at No. 5 Louisville by falling behind by 44 points at halftime of a 54-13 loss.
''One week, you're heartbroken and in shock, and the next weekend we didn't play good,'' Doeren said, calling it an ''embarrassing feeling.
''You're on top of the world, and all of a sudden, it was taken from you,'' he added. ''You've got to deal with them differently. We've got to flush them both and move on.''
---
Some things to know about the Boston College-N.C. State game:
TOWLES ON: Addazio hopes QB Patrick Towles will be healthy enough to play after he injured a hamstring in last week's loss to Syracuse. He was just 4 of 15 for 45 yards in that game with an interception and a fumble, and gained 75 of his career-best 104 yards rushing on one play, a touchdown run on which he injured his hamstring.
FINLEY'S FINE: N.C. State QB Ryan Finley has thrown four interceptions in his last two games after not throwing any during the first five. He also completed barely over half his passes in those two losses after hitting on nearly 70 percent in the first five games. Center Joe Scelfo isn't worried about him, saying ''Finley will be fine.''
ANOTHER TOUGH D: The Wolfpack are playing a top-11 defense for the third consecutive week. The Eagles are seventh in total defense, giving up 292 total yards per game. N.C. State previously faced Clemson's ninth-ranked defense and a Louisville unit that was 11th in that stat category.
PACK'S TURNOVERS: N.C. State has forced an ACC-best eight fumbles, ranking eighth in the Bowl Subdivision in that stat. That could mean trouble for a BC offense that has lost seven fumbles in seven games.
---
Follow Joedy McCreary at http://twitter.com/joedyap. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/joedy-mccreary
---
AP college football site: http://collegefootball.ap.org
