First look: Top story lines, betting odds for NC State vs Boston College football game
The break is over for N.C. State.
From here out, it’s nothing but conference games for the Wolfpack. That quest for a division title starts Saturday in Chestnut Hill versus Boston College.
The Eagles are coming off a 19-13 loss to Clemson two weeks ago.
N.C. State quarterback Devin Leary had his coming-out party versus the Eagles in 2019, throwing for a season-high 259 yards and three touchdowns. That game, a 21-point win by Boston College, is rather forgettable, but N.C. State defeated the Eagles in their previous two trips to Chestnut Hill.
The last 10 outings between the two teams are dead even at 5-5.
NC State vs Boston College game, TV info
Who: NC State (4-1) vs. Boston College (4-1)
Where: Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Mass.
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
TV: ACCN
Vegas odds: NC State vs Boston College point spread
N.C. State is a three-point favorite at Boston College.
Is the curse really over?
Remember that proclamation by N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren after beating Clemson? Why not as big a “curse” as beating the Tigers, Boston College has been a big enough thorn for N.C. State to cause concern. The Eagles lead the all-time series 10-7, and coming off a loss, Boston College won’t be a pushover at home.
“With Boston College, they’re a 4-1 team that plays really hard,” Doeren said. “They are a very good statistical defense. When you watch them they are very fundamentally sound. Their kids up front play hard. They are strainers. They are really strong guys. They have good length at defensive end. They have a good rotation up front.”
If N.C. State wants to convince its fan base that this is going to be a special year, it all starts with a good performance (and a win) at Boston College.
The Eagles are (still) who we thought they were.
Boston College is a top-five team in the ACC when it comes to running the football, averaging 185 yards per game. N.C. State is only giving up 92 rushing yards, a clear sign of what type of game this will be.
Boston College is experienced up front and will try to establish its will at the line of scrimmage, just like the Eagles have always done.
“I think they’ve embraced kind of what they are up there,” Doeren said. “They’re demeanor is they’re going to run the football and play-action pass. They’re physical. They’re good at what they do. They have big tight ends that are quasi-linemen. They go in there and do a nice job. They’ve had big backs.”
3 Boston College Eagles to watch
Zay Flowers, WR: Don’t let the ground-and-pound game of Boston College fool you, they have some players who can “run by you,” Doeren said. One of those guys is Flowers, the 5-foot-10 junior from Fort Lauderdale. Flowers leads the team in catches (23) and receiving yards (345). Doeren tried to recruit Flowers to N.C. State and is well aware of just how talented he is.
“I have a lot of respect for Zay,” Doeren said. “I think he’s a really good athlete, a kid we offered here on both sides of the football. I thought he was a really talented guy.”
Isaiah Graham-Mobley, LB: Doeren singled out the graduate linebacker as someone who popped off the screen during film review. Graham-Mobley (6-1, 230 pounds) had his best game of the season versus Clemson, finishing with eight tackles. He leads the team with 36 tackles through five games.
“Their linebackers are active,” Doeren said. “No. 19 (Graham-Mobley) makes a ton of tackles for them.”
Dennis Grosel, QB: Grosel has filled in since veteran Phil Jurkovec went down with an injury. It looks like the Eagles’ offense hasn’t missed a beat. Grosel has completed 61.5% of his passes for 788 yards and four touchdowns. He threw for a season-high 311 yards versus Clemson.
3 NC State Wolfpack to watch
Ikem Ekwonu, LT: Saturday’s game versus Boston College will be won in the trenches. That’s just the kind of game left tackle Ikem Ekwonu welcomes. If the Wolfpack hopes to establish its run game, Ekwonu, and his physical style, will lead the way.
Cory Durden, NG: Speaking of the trenches, the Eagles always roll out a huge offensive line and it’s no secret they want to run the ball right at teams.
“They’ve got good linemen, for one. And they’re all old,” Doeren said. “They have one guy that is a sophomore, but the rest of them are graduates or fifth-year players. They’re 22- to 24-year-old guys. They’re big. They’ve been in a college weight room eating college food for a long time. Their demeanor is they’re going to run the football and play-action pass. They’re physical.”
That means Durden will have to hold the line on the defensive front for the Pack. Since filling in for the injured C.J. Clark, Durden has done well, but the Boston College front might be the best he’s faced yet.
Isaiah Moore, LB: As stated earlier, the Eagles’ game plan is to run right at teams behind their big, physical line. That means a lot of action for middle linebacker Isaiah Moore. The N.C. State co-captain is responsible for setting up the rest of the defense, but he’ll have a busy day trying to tussle with the big guys coming out of the Boston College backfield.
This story was originally published October 12, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
