NC State @ Boston College preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 6, 2018 ) Boston College 23, NC State 28

Boston College has lost two in a row, will be without its starting quarterback for the rest of the season and faces a very challenging stretch run. The Eagles will try to sneak in a home win before the schedule becomes very difficult when they host North Carolina State in an ACC matchup Saturday afternoon.

Junior Anthony Brown was lost for the year with a leg injury suffered in Boston College's 41-39 loss at Louisville two weeks ago and will have to watch as his team navigates a final five-game stretch that includes four road games, including visits to Clemson and Notre Dame. Redshirt sophomore Dennis Grosel will take over at quarterback for the Eagles and he will face a Wolfpack defense that piled up eight sacks in back-to-back games, including a 16-10 win over Syracuse on Oct. 10. "It's all [defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable] and his crazy scheming, these blitzes he's drawing up," junior linebacker Louis Acceus, who had three sacks, told reporters after the victory. "Everybody's crossing here, crossing there, crossing there, and somebody's going to end up open." North Carolina State entered the week tied for fifth nationally with 4.3 sacks per game, while Boston College has allowed only three all year - tied for the fewest among FBS teams.

TV: Noon ET, RSN, NESN. LINE: North Carolina State -3.5

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA STATE (4-2, 1-1 ACC): The Wolfpack have undergone a change at quarterback as well with the insertion of sophomore Bailey Hockman, who made his first start in the win over Syracuse and finished with 205 yards passing along with an interception. He will be backed by a fleet of running backs that have helped to generate 4.6 yards per carry - fourth-best in the ACC. Senior defensive tackle Larrell Murchison leads the sack brigade with a team-leading seven, while Acceus (4.5) and sophomore defensive end Xavier Lyas (four) are consistent threats to get to the quarterback.

ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE (3-3, 1-2): Grosel threw three touchdown passes in relief of Brown at Louisville, nearly leading the Eagles back from an early 14-point deficit. "You saw him in full live color," coach Steve Addazio told the media of Grosel. "He showed great leadership. I thought he did a great job." Grosel completed 9-of-24 passes for 111 yards while junior running back AJ Dillon - who leads the ACC with 745 rushing yards - gained 118 on the ground in the setback.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Dillon needs 63 yards to move into fifth place alone on the school's all-time rushing list and 156 to seize fourth place.

2. Wolfpack junior WR Emeka Emezie is tied for fifth in the conference with 33 catches.

3. North Carolina State won the last two meetings by a total of eight points.

PREDICTION: North Carolina State 26, Boston College 23