NC State’s fan support propels Pack into Belk Bowl

'15 Football73

In the middle of the afternoon of the bowl selection Sunday LAST SEASON, NC State was preparing for a trip to Charlotte to participate in the Belk Bowl. Then Notre Dame snagged a bowl berth reserved for the ACC and Louisville knocked the Wolfpack out of the slot and into the Bitcoin Bowl in St. Petersburg, FL.

This season, the same ACC selection rules that worked against State have served to help the Wolfpack snag that exact bowl slot they lost last year as NC State will be playing in the 2015 Belk Bowl in Charlotte on December 30th against a team from the SEC that is highly speculated to be Mississippi State. State last played in the Belk bowl in 2011 when Mike Glennon and TJ Graham led the Wolfpack to a solid win over Charlie Strong’s emerging Louisville program.

For weeks, the accepted line of thinking was that the Belk Bowl, if possible, would choose Virginia Tech as their ACC selection so as to feature Frank Beamer in his last game as the Hokies head coach. One problem with that scenario was that the Belk Bowl ultimately couldn’t choose Virginia Tech because Pittsburgh is effectively ‘protected’ to be selected ahead of VPI in any scenario.

The way the rules work, a 6 win ACC team can only be selected once all of the 8 win teams have been selected; but, a 7 win team (Louisville or NC State) CAN be selected in the same tier with the 8 win teams. With that said, there is no way for a bowl to select 6-6 Virginia Tech over an 8-4 Pittsburgh…and, the Belk Bowl had Louisville last season. So, that left the Belk Bowl with a decision between Pittsburgh and NC State. Given that choice, there was little doubt that the Belk Bowl would select the program that packs their stadium for every game and will bring about ten times the number of fans than the other program.

Whether you like it or not, NC State’s weak non-conference schedule absolutely worked to our advantage this year. I love the masterful work done by our administration!


This tweet embodies the point/position that we espoused last year when things didn’t go quite as rosy for NC State

Link to the N&O’s article

N.C. State is going back to the Belk Bowl.

The Wolfpack (7-5) will play Mississippi State (8-4) in the Charlotte bowl game on Dec. 30 (3:30 p.m, ESPN). It is the third trip to this bowl game and first since 2011 for N.C. State.

“We are both excited and thankful for the opportunity to play instate at the Belk Bowl in the great city of Charlotte,” N.C. State coach Dave Doeren said in a statement released by the school. “This is a great reward for our young team that has continued to improve over the course of the season.”

N.C. State won the Belk Bowl in 2011, 31-24 over Louisville, and beat South Florida, 14-0, in 2005 when it was called the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

N.C. State is playing in the postseason for the fifth time in six years. It has won three of its past four bowl games and has a 1-0 record under Doeren (a 34-27 win over Central Florida in the St. Petersburg Bowl last year).

The Wolfpack and Bulldogs have met in a bowl game twice before: 1994 in the Peach Bowl, a 28-24 N.C. State win, and the 1963 Liberty Bowl, a 16-12 Mississippi State win.

The Bulldogs went 4-4 in the SEC West and 4-0 outside the SEC. Their only losses this season have been to ranked teams.

N.C. State finished 3-5 in the ACC for the second straight year and swept through a weak nonconference schedule.

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Home › Forums › NC State’s fan support propels Pack into Belk Bowl

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  • 12/07/2015 at 7:52 AM #94321
    wolfpack92owen
    Participant
    rthomas44 wrote:

    TA fumbled the ball at Ohio state as Rivers was leading a come from behind. He cost State more than one win.

    And Maryland, dont forget that one

    12/07/2015 at 7:56 AM #94322
    Fastback68
    Participant

    Rye – I can’t find a Vegas line yet, Miss St a dog???

    Roo – There was an establishment in Orlando in the shape of dual volcanos called The Boobie Trap. Is it still there??

    12/07/2015 at 7:58 AM #94323
    PackFamily
    Participant

    TA fumbled the ball at Ohio state as Rivers was leading a come from behind. He cost State more than one win.

    TA didn’t fumble to cost us the game at OSU. He was stopped just short of the goal line in triple OT. He played his heart out in that game while injured.

    12/07/2015 at 8:09 AM #94324
    Wulfpack
    Participant

    So they have beaten a P5 team with a winning record

    They also beat Aubie who is 6-6.

    The Bulldogs will be favored but we should be able to hang with them.

    12/07/2015 at 8:48 AM #94325
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    You are all pointing out why the Cowbells are the PERFECT opponent for us.

    They are GOOD, not GREAT. If they were great, we’d have no shot. Somebody in the 20-25 range is about our limit this year, in my view. We are “punching up” but within reason. Don’t sell that road Pig Sooey win short, either. It came during that run when the Hogs looked for all the world like a Top 10 team.

    BUT – and this is key – they are a name program, from a name conference. It’s much better visibility for recruiting, and for general program exposure, to play and beat an SEC opponent than a service academy (even if Navy is getting lots of love in the media) or God help us, a sad sack like Tulsa or 5-7 San Jose State.

    Shit, it’s better to LOSE to the Cowbells than to beat Tulsa in front of 500 people.

    We got a second chance, despite not really doing anything to earn it. Certainly not how we acquitted ourselves on the field against the Holes. What we do with that second chance will say a lot about who we are.

    12/07/2015 at 9:14 AM #94327
    Texpack
    Participant

    When I heard a national pundit say this was the most explosive offense Dan Mullen has has at Mississippi State, my response was, ” Is that kinda like Hillary Clinton’s sexiest photo shoot?”

    12/07/2015 at 9:45 AM #94328
    ryebread
    Participant

    fastback: My apologies. Not a gambler, so I used the wrong lingo. I sort of meant whatever the line was, I’d take Miss State to cover.

    BJD: I initially thought a lot like your last post (puncher’s chance particularly in what should be a home game). One thing I’d add to that is that with Mullen pushing his name for so many jobs, then maybe the team might be distracted or not fully united behind the coach. I also looked at our common opponent (Troy) where we both won by the same margin.

    Then I thought about the individual match ups and particularly about our secondary. I thought about how we’ve not beat anyone with a pulse. I’d love for this team to prove me wrong.

    I’d have rather played a coachless Navy team up in the Military Bowl. That’s a team we matched up with well.

    12/07/2015 at 11:10 AM #94332
    VaWolf82
    Keymaster

    I don’t understand why anyone is complaining about last years bowl:
    – Week in Charlotte vs week in St Petersburg for the team
    – Ass kicking in Charlotte vs win in St Pete
    – Shallow reporting turned a scheduling quirk with winning streak against weak teams into a boost for recruiting

    I don’t see how last year and the bowl could have turned out better.

    12/07/2015 at 11:32 AM #94334
    44rules
    Participant

    Roo, I was in that dump for Russell Wilson’s last game at N.C. State. Fun time, cruddy venue.

    Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer which we use to crush the enemy. Mao Zedong

    12/07/2015 at 11:35 AM #94337
    Fastback68
    Participant

    No apology necessary, Rye. Sounded like an opportunity to cover ticket cost. Just because I can’t find the line doesn’t mean there isn’t one out there yet. Wonder if Vegas views it as a home game for us or not. MSU -6.5 or -3.

    12/07/2015 at 11:46 AM #94338
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    MSU -7

    12/07/2015 at 1:59 PM #94339
    Texpack
    Participant

    For the record, I am crushed that the Pack isn’t going to Shreveport. I was getting all geared up for a road trip. When you have a half a**ed season, it’s appropriate to play in a glorified HS stadium for your bowl game.

    12/07/2015 at 2:26 PM #94340
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    It should NOT be an ass kicking, provided we show up (and did not mentally check out after that Hole embarrassment). At worst, it should be a respectable shootout loss. But I think our DL could cause them problems.

    Beating Navy is always a nothingburger.

    12/07/2015 at 4:13 PM #94341
    choppack1
    Participant

    Put me in the “better than we deserve” camp – but I will take it and run. This is a great get for the program. Hopefully, the bulldogs will be pissed and bring their c game.

    12/07/2015 at 4:19 PM #94342
    Wolfanatic
    Participant

    While the game opened at MSU-7 as CD said, the Vegas consensus is now MSU-5.5. Money rolling on the Pack now.

    12/07/2015 at 5:08 PM #94343
    PapaJohn
    Participant

    Great news! This is the one we wanted.

    12/07/2015 at 5:45 PM #94344
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    Bowls are, after all, glorified exhibitions. Differential motivation is a big f-ing deal. Both teams got curb stomped by a rival in their finale. But the Cowbells ALSO lost out on a bigtime NYD bowl, and a possible “one for the ages” season, by their standards. Us? Not so much. We also got a very happy surprise by where we fell in the bowl selection order, and our players will have ample friends and family in attendance.

    Some X factors that could work in our favor, for sure. COULD.

    12/07/2015 at 6:11 PM #94345
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    Uh…Anyone remember a cat named Matty Dayes?

    …Just sayin’.

    12/07/2015 at 6:23 PM #94346
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    ^ I saw that ESPN listed him under “Players to Watch” but I thought they were just being sloppy. That would be more like a Z factor.

    12/07/2015 at 6:45 PM #94347
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    ^ Beej…I honestly missed it by 4 weeks. No way in hell.

    So…Anyone remember…ahh…? Jacoby throwing in the seams? I do. Once upon a time.

    12/07/2015 at 7:27 PM #94348
    Adventuroo
    Participant

    Don’t know any of the Adult Clubs in Orlando…..Wife punched me in the ribs when I asked the driver if I could off and go for a drink.

    The Belk Bowl is really uptown compared to some of the venues. The Music City bowl would not be too bad, IMHO. The Titans stadium is nice. Was there for the 50th Birthday Bash for the Vette.

    Right across the river is a slew of bars and clubs and restaurants. Walked over and had dinner at the Hard Rock.

    I would go there…but Peach is what I would like to see. Time for DD to win this one and also some more next year.

    12/07/2015 at 7:39 PM #94349
    CaptainCraptacular
    Participant

    You guys slamming the Citrus Bowl, you are 100% correct, it was a total dump.

    Key word was.

    All but the upper deck of the stadium was torn down and rebuilt, re-opening December of ’14. Its actually fairly nice nowadays. Sorry to burst your bubble. Course you still have to go through a not so great part of town to get there.

    12/07/2015 at 7:48 PM #94351
    CaptainCraptacular
    Participant

    Roo – There was an establishment in Orlando in the shape of dual volcanos called The Boobie Trap. Is it still there??

    That was actually torn down within the last 18 months, finally putting it out of its misery. It hadn’t been actually viable for some time before that.

    12/07/2015 at 8:54 PM #94353
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    I know it’s not the best picture, but it would remind me of how long I had to hold a corner on a block.

    (Listen for the hooves, man.)

    I know y’all know he passed on Saturday. I don’t start threads much anymore.

    Willie B.

    12/07/2015 at 8:55 PM #94354
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

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