RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — NC State is hoping to use home field advantage to become bowl eligible, but they’ll have to top a local rival to do so.
The Wolfpack (5-4 overall, 2-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) host Duke (6-3, 2-3) Saturday afternoon in their final home game of the season. Kick off at Carter-Finley Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m.
After starting out 0-3 in ACC play, NC State has now won two in a row, both over the conference’s new Northern California teams. Last Saturday, the Wolfpack handily beat Stanford 59-28.
Duke, meanwhile, is in the middle of their first losing streak of the season. After starting out 5-0, the Blue Devils have lost two games in a row and three of their last four matchups overall. After a one-point loss in overtime to SMU two weeks ago, Duke was overwhelmed by then-No. 5 Miami at Hard Rock Stadium last week.
NC State’s final two games of the season are at Georgia Tech on Nov. 21 and at rival UNC the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Duke, who has already qualified for a bowl game, will host Virginia Tech on Nov. 23 then play at Wake Forest on Nov. 30 to end the regular season.