NC State to play Maryland in bowl game
The NC State players will be motivated to have coach Dave Doeren get doused with Duke’s mayonnaise.
No. 23-ranked NC State (8-4) will play Maryland (7-5) in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on at 12 p.m. Dec. 30 in Charlotte, N.C. The series between the old ACC opponents is 33-33-4, with the last meeting 2013.
NC State has earned seven bowl berths in Doeren’s 10 years, and he’s going 3-3 in the games played.
NC State last went to play in Charlotte for a bowl game was in 2015, when it was called the Belk Bowl. NC State lost 51-28 to Mississippi State and future Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, who threw 380 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 47 yards during a rain-soaked game.
NC State wide receivers coach Joker Phillips was with Maryland as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2019-2020, and senior wide receiver Darryl Jones played his first four years for the Terrapins.
Maryland went 7-5 with just two wins against bowl eligible teams — 7-5 Southern Methodist and 6-6 Buffalo. The Terrapins did play better toward the end of the season, giving Ohio State a scare in a 43-30 loss Nov. 19. UMD closed out the regular season with a 37-0 win over Rutgers.
Coach Mike Locksley has gone 20-28 overall and 11-27 in the Big Ten at Maryland, including his 1-5 interim stint in 2015. He took over in 2019 and has gone 19-23. Locksley also was the head coach at New Mexico, and has served as an assistant coach at Maryland (twice), Army, Florida, Illinois and Alabama.
Maryland averaged 29.2 points, 146.8 rushing yards and 259.3 passing yards per game.
Redshirt junior quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa was a Rivals.com four-star prospect coming out of Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson High in the class of 2019. He is the younger brother of Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is enjoying a breakout season. The Hawaiian native followed his brother to Alabama, but left for Maryland when coach Mike Locksley got hired in 2020.
Taulia Tagovailoa has thrown for over 300 yards in four games this season, but he isn’t a big running threat. The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder torched Charlotte for 391 passing yards, four touchdowns and one rushing score. He closed out the regular season with 342 passing yards and a score against Rutgers.
Redshirt freshman running back Roman Hemby has rushed 164 times for 924 yards and 10 touchdowns this season, plus an impressive 31 catches for 276 yard and a score. He topped 100 rushing yards in four games, including 24 carries for 179 yards and three touchdowns in the 31-24 win over Northwestern on Oct. 22.
The one-two punch of tight ends Corey Dyches, a redshirt sophomore, and sophomore CJ Dippre have a combined 65 catches for 763 yards and six touchdowns. Wide receivers Jeshaun Jones, a senior, and junior Rakim Jarrett had 40 receptions apiece and a combined seven touchdowns. Jarrett was a Rivals.com five-star recruit in the class of 2020.
Maryland’s defense had 25 sacks, seven interceptions and seven recovered fumbles. The Terrapins allowed 24.1 points, 142.7 rushing yards and 219.5 passing yards a contest.
Junior safety Beau Brade leads the team with 78 tackles, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. He had 15 tackles, an interception and one forced fumble against Southern Methodist on Sept. 17.
Veteran senior kicker Chad Ryland went 16 of 20 on field goals with a long of 53 this season. He kicked his first four years at Eastern Michigan and this past year at UMD. He’s 72 of 94 in his career with a long of 55.
Senior punter Colton Spangler had 51 punts for an average of 45.0 yards and a long of 63.
Follow on Twitter:
@NCStateRivals or @JaceyZembal
Subscribe for free on YouTube:
For Jacey Zembal or The Wolfpack Central
Like on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/TheWolfpackCentral
Follow on Instagram:
ATTENTION SUBSCRIBERS: Our NETWORK-WIDE, all-access pass allows you to read every premium message board in the Rivals.com network as part of a bundled add-on to your subscription!
Subscribers can add the All-Access Pass or a 3-Site Bundle in your account profile, under the Subscriptions tab: HERE
