NC State @ Maryland preview
Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium
Last Meeting ( Nov 7, 2009 ) Maryland 31, North Carolina State 38
Either No. 23 North Carolina State or Florida State will win the Atlantic Coast Conference Atlantic Division title on Saturday, but only the Wolfpack control their own destiny.
Tied in the loss column with Florida State, North Carolina State can advance to the ACC title game with a victory at Maryland on Saturday.
N.C. State (8-3, 5-2 ACC) is in the driver's seat in the Atlantic Division race thanks to a 28-24 victory over Florida State on Oct. 28. The Seminoles are 6-2 in ACC play and wrap up their regular season against Florida on Saturday.
The Wolfpack followed up their big victory over Florida State with a one-point loss at Clemson but have rebounded to win two straight. They are coming off a 29-25 victory at North Carolina.
Saturday’s victory improved the Wolfpack to 4-0 against the Tar Heels under coach Tom O’Brien and the eight wins is the most in a season in O’Brien’s tenure with the school.
Either N.C. State or Florida State will face No. 14 Virginia Tech in the ACC title game in Charlotte on Dec. 4. The Hokies clinched the Coastal Division crown by winning at Miami last weekend.
Maryland (7-4, 4-3) was in the mix for the Atlantic Division title until a 30-16 home loss to Florida State last week.
The Terrapins trailed by a touchdown with just under a minute to play before the Seminoles iced the game with a 96-yard score on an interception return.
Maryland was done in by four turnovers against Florida State, two of which were in the fourth quarter and led to 10 points for the Seminoles. Now Florida State is rooting for Maryland to rebounds and knock off N.C. State as a win by the Terrapins gives the Seminoles the Atlantic title.
The series between the teams is tied 31-31-4. Maryland had won three straight over NC State before the Wolfpack posted a 38-31 victory last seasion in Raleigh.
The Terrapins have won seven of the last 10 meetings with the Wolfpack, who have not won at Maryland since 2004.