There couldn’t be a more dramatic way for N.C. State to close out the regular season going into Thanksgiving weekend.
Controlling its destiny as it has since it defeated Florida State Oct. 28, the Wolfpack, 8-3 (5-2 in the ACC), travels to College Park, Md., to take on the Terrapins Saturday in its final test for the ACC Atlantic crown.
Like State, Maryland was in the running for the Atlantic Division crown as recently as last week. But with a loss to the Seminoles Saturday, the Terrapins, 7-4 (4-3 ACC), will play the spoiler role in their final week of the season.
“This will be their senior day, and they still have a lot to play for,” coach Tom O’Brien said. “Everybody can find something to play for in November. That is what you have to do as a coach. You have to find something to hone in on, and you give your team goals to go out and play for.”
Maryland played the same role in the past for the Pack. In 2007, State had a 5-6 record going into the final home game of the season, but lost 37-0 to Maryland in its first home ACC shutout loss since 1967.
But O’Brien likes his team’s chances, especially considering its most recent victory.
“I don’t know if this game is any tougher than going on the road to face UNC-Chapel Hill,” O’Brien said. “That was an awfully tough situation to go into, and if these players can find a way to win on Saturday, then I believe they deserve to play for an ACC Championship.”
A win on Saturday would mean much more than just winning a football game on the road. It would be the clinching win for the ACC Atlantic division that would guarantee the Pack a chance to travel to Charlotte to compete for the ACC title. With bowl eligibility and a winning season assured two weeks ago in the Pack’s win over Wake Forest, O’Brien said it all comes down to Saturday.
“We’ve tried to treat each game as a one-game championship,” O’Brien said. “I think that’s the only way you can accomplish what we want. Now I think the players might finally believe me, because this is the final game and this is our ACC Championship right now.”
The Pack and Maryland both struggled in the last two years before turning things around this season. Last year, State and Maryland finished in the bottom of the Atlantic division, as the teams combined to only win three ACC games. This year, though, both teams find themselves near the top of the division.
“It’s kind of a surreal feeling,” junior linebacker Audie Cole said. “If you asked me last year where we would be right now, I would like to have said we would be playing for an ACC Championship. But I don’t know if I would have actually believed it.”
The last ACC title for the Pack was more than 30 years ago, when Bill Cowher was a linebacker for the 1979 team.
“If we want to get where we want to be, then we have to win this game,” redshirt sophomore R.J. Mattes said. “We have to focus on Maryland, who is a great team, and basically compete for two ACC Championships in two weeks. We have to tighten up our shoelaces and come out prepared to play a great game.”
