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What bowl game will NC State football make? Here are best projections

david thompson, the fayetteville observer
·3 min read
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RALEIGH — Prepare to be disappointed, NC State football fans.

Yes, the Wolfpack (7-3, 3-3 ACC) will go bowling, but after opening the season as the No. 13-ranked team with ACC title expectations and an outside contender to make the College Football Playoffs, the current projections have them participating in an underwhelming postseason matchup.

Even after an embarrassing 21-20 loss to a two-win Boston College team last weekend, NC State still has a chance to turn things around. Wins against Louisville (6-4, 3-3 ACC) and Coastal champion UNC (9-1, 6-0) would go a long way in changing the bowl game outlook.

But for now, he's where the Wolfpack could land.

More:NC State football's Dave Doeren still angry about pass interference penalty against Boston College

Best-case scenario: Return to the Holiday Bowl?

If the Wolfpack find a way to win out, they may find themselves heading back to San Diego.

After last year's debacle at the Holiday Bowl, it would be almost poetic for NC State to get a chance to actually play the game, and you can bet it won't be against UCLA.

The Bruins bowed out of the Holiday Bowl hours before the 5 p.m. kickoff due to COVID-19 protocols. The news came less than a day after Bruins coach Chip Kelly said his team would do anything in their power to play the game even if they were down to 11 players.

"Felt lied to, to be honest," NC State coach Dave Doeren said later that day. "We felt like UCLA probably knew something was going on with their team and didn't tell anyone on our side. We had no clue they were up against that. I don't think it was very well handled from their university."

Another option could be the Duke's Mayo Bowl in Charlotte on Dec. 30 or the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida, and the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, on the same day. It would be the third time in the Doeren era that the Wolfpack will play in the Gator Bowl.

More:'We felt lied to': NC State's Dave Doeren reacts to Holiday Bowl cancellation

Worst-case scenario: What the heck is a Gasparilla?

There are already 10 ACC teams eligible for bowl games, meaning selection committees will have plenty of options and can be more critical with their picks.

On some projections sites, NC State will face Tulsa in the Dec. 23 Gasparilla Bowl in St. Petersburg, Florida. Others have the Wolfpack in the Dec. 28 Military Bowl against Houston or the Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando, Florida, on Dec. 29.

NC State will be competing with the likes of Duke, Louisville, Wake Forest, Flordia State, Pitt and Syracuse for these open spots. The Wolfpack is 2-1 against these opponents with wins over Wake Forest and No. 23 FSU and a 24-9 loss to Syracuse. They face Louisville at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday for a chance to remain in third place in the ACC Atlantic division.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: What bowl game will NC State football make? Here are best projections