Saturday’s game for NC State at Boston College, a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on ACC Network, will be a battle of two teams that have a good idea of who and what they are.

At least that’s the case that Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren can make.

Coming out of what Doeren viewed was a well-timed bye week, he thinks he has a good read on the character of his 4-1 Wolfpack squad that is also 1-0 in the ACC.

For starters, it's a self-motivated team that takes well to coaching and wants to get better.

“We're a team that is physical. Team that plays hard. Team that's not beating itself, and all those things put you in position to win a lot of games,” Doeren added. “We just got to consistently improve in the areas that we're not doing things right.”

As for Boston College, Doeren said they remind him some of his experience as a defensive assistant at Wisconsin before he became a head coach.

“When I was at Wisconsin, I felt like at that university we embraced what we were there,” Doeren said. “I feel like BC has done that.

"They don't try to run the spread offense. They're going to get in a phone booth. They still try to run by you, don't get me wrong. They got some play actions where guys are running down the field. They do some good things with their misdirections and their jets and things like that. You're going to see some 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) for most of the game, and sometimes more than that. Sometimes they bring an extra offensive lineman in and a tight end jersey even and you got to be ready to play those types of things.

"As you know, I like that type of football, too. Our guys embrace the challenge and look forward to the opportunity to play a very physical, disciplined Boston College team."

Both teams are coming out of a bye week with visions of competing for an ACC title in one of the most wide-open years in the conference in recent memory.

The two teams had similar conference openers with different results. NC State topped Clemson at home in double overtime, while Boston College fell on the road to the Tigers in a game that came down to the final drive.

Each hopes to come out of the bye with momentum for a seven-week stretch of conference games. Doeren knows that his players are aware of the conference landscape. He noted like all other 18-to-22 years old they are looking at their phone constantly and seeing the news and opinions.

Thus there is no reason to run away from the conversation with his team, but Doeren also appreciated the maturity his squad shows in how they are handling business.

He felt that after a meeting with his team captains Sunday, everyone is one the same page.

"One of our goals is to be the best 1-0 team that we can be and that means we're really focused on the present,” Doeren said. “It does matter that four of the next five are on the road, but what matters more is we just take this week for what it is.

“Let's be the best we can be this week. We'll worry about next week, next week.”

• Speaking of next week, NC State learned Monday that its game at Miami on Oct. 16 will also be a 7:30 p.m. kickoff, and Doeren did not sound too excited about it.

The team’s late return home from a date at Mississippi State on Sept. 11 will be followed by similar wee hours arrivals from Boston College this Saturday and now at Miami.

Doeren estimated they could be arriving back to Raleigh at 4 a.m.

“I mean, they take a toll on your kids, and your coaches, for that matter,” Doeren said.

• Before the season is over, it is likely that senior receiver Emeka Emezie will become NC State’s all-time leader in receptions and junior kicker Chris Dunn in points scored.

Doeren noted that getting the record was one of Emezie’s motivations to return, while Dunn has been “Mr. Consistent” for the Wolfpack.

"I'm really excited for them and any player you know that has that type of career. I think that's says a lot about, not just their ability, but their dependability to be able to do that over time."

• Boston College will be playing its fourth full game without starting quarterback Phil Jurkovec, who is out for potentially the rest of the season with a hand/wrist injury. His replacement Dennis Grossel has completed 60 of 104 passes (61.5 percent) for 788 yards and four scores with four picks this year

Doeren complimented Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley for his “good coaching” to have a productive offense after Jurkovec went down. He added that they have also not changed much on offense.

“I'd say 95% of it, looks the same,” Doeren estimated.

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