Rob Kinnan/USAToday sports
Wolfpack Kickoff: Week 7 vs. Boston College
NC State (4-2, 1-1 ACC) vs. Boston College (3-3, 1-2 ACC)
Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Mass. (44,500)
Noon, Fox Sports South (PxP: Evan Leppler; Analyst: Dave Archer, Sideline: Kelsey Wingert)
Streaming: WatchESPN; National radio: Sirius 383, XM 383; Live stats: GoPack.com
Series history: BC leads 9-7 (6-3 in Chestnut Hill)
Last meeting: State 28, BC 23
Last week: State beat Syracuse 16-10; BC had an open date
BetOnline line: NC State minus-3 | Over/Under 51 1/2
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
"It's the top rushing offense against the top rushing defense in the league, so that will be a great competition for both teams. And it's always been a game that's been decided by a touchdown or less so we know it's going to be a four quarter game." Dave Doeren
"We have had a good bye week, defense and on offense to be able to really work with and get a look at some more young players that we're trying to get them extra reps and have, potentially get them on the field in certain positions. So that's been really good. The attitude, the mentality and the juice of our team has been outstanding. I was really ecstatic coming off the field and kids are jacked up, pumped up to get back at it and I think the bye week was a good refresher mentally and physical and gave them a great focus to concentrate a little bit on their classroom work and get ahead there. So I thought that paid off." BC coach Steve Addazio
"They like running downhill, not too many pass plays. You get a play action here and there, but you're talking about smashmouth football, an old school football team. We definitely think it's going to be a challenge. It's going to be a war zone down there, but it's nothing we can't handle." Defensive tackle Alim McNeill
PLAYERS TO WATCH
| NC State | Boston College | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Passing | Bailey Hockman | 44-77-2 460 yards 1 TD | Dennis Grosel | 12-31-1 132 3 TD |
Rushing | Zonovan Knight | 69-362 3 TD | A.J. Dillon | 144-745 6 TD |
Receiving | Emeka Emezie | 33-358 10.8 1 TD | Hunter Long | 15-277 18.5 1 TD |
Devin Carter | 12-172 14.3 | Zay Flowers | 12-233 19.4 2 2 TD | |
Defense | Tanner Ingle | 37 tackles 2 TFL 3 PBU | Max Richardson | 63 tackles 8 TFL 1.5 sacks |
Larrell Murchison | 27 tackles 8 sacks 4 QBP | Mike Palmer | 47 tackles, 2 INT |
NOTABLE
The Wolfpack might trail the all-time series, but it holds a 5-4 record over the past nine meetings. That includes back-to-back wins over the past two seasons. State has also won its two most recent trips to Chestnut Hill. ...
State has 16 sacks in its last two games. That's more than 103 of the 130 FBS teams have recorded for the entire season. Overall, the Wolfpack ranks third in the ACC with 26 sacks, one behind co-leaders Virginia and Pittsburgh. Its average of 4.33 sacks per game ranks fifth nationally in the FBS. ...
Xavier Lyas sacks Florida State quarterback Alex Hornibrook earlier this season (Melina Meyers/USAToday sports)
Through the first six games this season, State has turned the ball over just five times (two fumbles, three interceptions) and is tied with BC foe the fewest in the ACC and ninth nationally. On the flip side, the Wolfpack had only forced five turnovers (also two fumbles, three interceptions). That mark ranks just 112th in the FBS. ...
State has held five of its first six opponents under 100 rushing yards as a team. That's the stingiest stretch for the Wolfpack since the middle of the 2005 season, when it also held five of six opponents under the century mark. Over the past four seasons, State has not only fielded one of the top run defenses in the ACC, (ranking no lower then third), but also ranking in the top-30 nationally each year. The 2016 squad finished the season eighth nationally, allowing just 108.6 yards a game on the ground, the fifth-best season mark in school history. ...
Emeka Emezie stretches out to make a catch against East Carolina (Rob Kinnan/USAToday sports)
Junior wide receiver Emeka Emezie need just one more catch to become the 20th player in school history with 100 career receptions. Emezie will be the fourth receiver during the tenure of coach Dave Doeren to reach the 100-catch mark, joining Jaylen Samuels (1st, 202), Kelvin Harmon (4th, 177) and Jakobi Meyers (5th, 168). ...
