N.C. State could face these teams in its bowl game. See where the Wolfpack might play
Since defeating Louisville on Oct. 30, it was never a matter of if N.C. State would play in a bowl game, it was a matter of when and where.
Technically, it’s still a matter of those two things. But that information is getting clearer. The Wolfpack wrapped up its regular season on Friday, defeating rival North Carolina, 34-30, in dramatic fashion. The only drama surrounding the team is where it will spend the holidays.
N.C. State hoped to be playing in Charlotte this weekend for the ACC championship. Now it will shift the focus to its bowl game, which will take place later next month, according to multiple projections.
With the win over the Tar Heels, the Wolfpack finished the regular season at 9-3 overall, 6-2 in the ACC. In head coach Dave Doeren’s ninth season N.C. State has won nine games three times. A win in the bowl game will secure a 10-win season for just the second time in school history.
The upcoming bowl game will be No. 7 under Doeren. The Pack has gone 3-3 in the previous six.
N.C. State has dropped its last two bowl games. In 2018, the Wolfpack fell to Texas A&M, 52-13, in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. Last season, back in the Gator Bowl, it lost to Kentucky, 23-21.
Here’s a look at some of the bowl projections for the Wolfpack.
Projector | Bowl | Location/Date | Opponent |
Brett McMurphy (actionnetwork.com | Cheez-It Bowl | Orlando, Fla./Dec. 29 | Kansas State |
CBSsports.com | Holiday Bowl | San Diego, Cali./Dec. 28 | UCLA |
ESPN.com (Kyle Bonagura) | Holiday Bowl | San Diego, Cali./Dec. 28 | UCLA |
ESPN.com (Mark Schlabach) | Cheez-It Bowl | Orlando, Fla./Dec. 29 | Iowa State |
AthlonSports.com | Cheez-It Bowl | Orlando, Fla./Dec. 29 | Iowa State |
247Sports.com | Cheez-It Bowl | Orlando, Fla./Dec. 29 | Kansas State |
There is an obvious trend here, which makes planning for fans somewhat easier. N.C. State was named the Cheez-It Bowl National Team of the Week after its 27-21 win over Clemson on Sept. 25.
Representatives from the Holiday Bowl were in attendance for the regular-season finale against North Carolina. Either way, it looks like the Wolfpack will be spending late December in some sun.
N.C. State has never faced Kansas State or UCLA in a bowl game. The Wolfpack is 0-2 all-time against the Bruins and 1-0 against the Cyclones. N.C. State has never faced Kansas State in football.
The next bowl trip will be the 34th appearance for N.C. State. The program is 17-15-1 in its previous 33 trips.
This story was originally published November 29, 2021 at 12:42 PM.
