Make no mistakes about the importance of today’s visit to Chestnut Hill for NC State — this is a HUGE game for the Wolfpack and still embattled Head Coach, Tom O’Brien.
Not only is TOB still looking for his first Atlantic Division road win (not on the season, but in his five-year tenure), but a loss today puts us in the precarious position of needing to beat both Clemson (the best team in the ACC and who we haven’t beaten since 2003) and our bugaboo Maryland for bowl eligibility (keep in mind, with two I-AA games, we need seven wins this season). Hopefully we’re not caught looking back to last week’s victory, because a win at Chestnut Hill today and State has some breathing room (albeit, not much), but it also keeps us in a position to match last season’s nine wins.
A little added pressure to the situation is that Boston College is just a bad team. The Eagles sit at 2-7 overall and only 1-5 in the ACC. If Coach O’Brien cannot exorcise his road woes in this set-up while battling his familiar former program then it is a fair question for NC State fans to ask if he will EVER be able to break through.
Dave from Carter-Finley has more preview here.
TOB’s record in Atlantic Division road games is 0-12. No, that is not a typo. In 5 years as NC State head coach TOB has yet to win on the road in our division in 12 games. I think any random person could take a team and accidentally win one game in 12 tries. A mind boggling stat for sure, but one that TOB needs to put an end to this Saturday against BC if 1) he wants to make a bowl game and 2) he wants to return as NC State football coach next year. Boston College is not a tough place to play so we have to find a way to get the job done.
Please feel free to use the comments below during the game for discussion. Additionally, we’ve got a lot of different topics being discussed in the SFN Message Forums and we’d welcome your input!
SEMI-LIVE BLOG
1st, 12:57 BC 7-0: In front of a (very) partial sell-out on Senior Day, Boston College opens with a bruising 5-play, 66-yard drive for a 7-0 lead 2:03 into the game. The key play was a 41-yard completion on a fade route where Amidon broke to the sideline and C.J. Wilson broke towards the hashes.
1st, 5:22 BC 7-3: State responds with a nice drive that stalled out in the red zone, settles for a field goal. The key play seems like the 2nd-and-1 where a shot at the end zone made sense, but instead it was a rush for a loss of four.
1st, 1:13 BC 7-3: Amerson picks off Rettig on the one. Amerson’s 10th pick on the season.
2nd, 9:20 BC 7-3: I’m not sure anything has happened in a while. Apparently BC just missed a field goal.
Look at the ACC Network trying to fabricate crowd excitement today. The cameras at this game are using limiting sticks — similar to the ones machine gunners use so they maintain their fields of fire — so that the cameras don’t pan beyond the small pockets of crowd.
2nd, 1:40 BC 14-3: *Yawn*
Halftime, BC 14-3. Business as usual for TOB on the road. A few more trips to Chestnut Hill and he’ll bring his all time record there to .500. At the half, State has racked up a daunting 88 total yards, with an entire four of those rushing. On 12-of-17 passing for 84 yards, Glennon continues to do the bare minimum on the season to remain “serviceable.”
Key stat of the first half: State’s defense can’t get off the field; BC is 4-for-5 on 3rd down.
3rd, 12:39 BC 14-3: State opens the second half with complete pass for no gain, two-yard run, false start, 12-yard pass on 3rd-and-13, punt. Wash, rinse, repeat.
3rd, 7:18 BC 14-10: State successfully executes a forward pass (beyond the chains no less) in order to move the ball downfield, and then Washington completes the drive with positive ground yardage for a TD.
3rd, 6:12 BC 14-10: State forces a three-and-out and then that Jason Aldean crap take us to commercial. Flip over to ESPNU and you’ll see the ACC’s best coach putting Wake Forest in control of the Atlantic Division, 28-14 late in the 3rd. It could still end up Virginia vs. Wake Forest in Charlotte.
3rd, 4:56 BC 14-10: State has another three-and-out followed by another shitty punt.
3rd, 3:22 BC 14-10: BC a quick three-and-out. Two good plays in a row by Wolff; even a blind squirrel…
3rd, 2:21 BC 14-10: Ctrl-C/Ctrl-V.
On the bright side, today we’re already above our average of 6.5ppg for the past two games.
End 3rd, BC 14-10: Ol’ Ty-rell Manning with the big sack to end the quarter. State holds BC to a total of zero yards in the quarter. Fight through the drowsiness, just 15 more minutes. Meanwhile, Wake still leads 28-21 as the 4th begins.
“quacko” asked me the following question: Why would you pass rush when he can’t complete anything anyway? If any of y’all know the answer, please post it in the comments below.
Under nine to play and we finally see a rush of yardage > 1. Washington breaks loose into the open field for an 8-yard gain. Promptly followed the next play by a personal foul.
4th, 6:44 BC 14-10: Glennon kills another drive with a pick in the end zone. First time he’s thrown downfield since his last interception. Consistency is the key. This answers the question: why do we always throw underneath?
4th, 4:27 BC 14-10: State gets the ball back quickly, and probably for the last time. This game is brought to you by Bojangle’s, who may be questioning their sponsorhip of ACC football.
Undamnbelievable. After a 3rd-and-nine underneath pass, the drive is kept alive only because it was tipped at the line and, well, let’s face it, otherwise it would’ve been a pick.
4th, 1:17 BC 14-10: Timeout State before a huge 3rd down after throwing underneath again on 2nd-and-10.
Meanwhile, Clemson ties it late.
Sack. Another timeout. 4th down coming to keep this crap alive.
The 6’6″ QB once again has his pass batted down at the line. BC wins. Just for clarity, BC had a single yard in the 2nd half before going into Victory Formation.
NCStateShit at its finest. Feel free to meltdown in the comments below.
