Quick hits from NCSUs loss at Boston College

Quick hits and notes from NC State's 14-10 loss in front of 33,712 fans at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Mass., Saturday afternoon.

Crushing loss

There's no denying that Saturday was a major setback in State's hopes of going to a bowl game this season. The Pack will be decided underdogs against Clemson next Saturday, who clinched the Atlantic Division title for the second time in three years with a win over Wake Forest Saturday. State needs to win out to be eligible for a bowl game.

NC State remains winless in road games within the Atlantic Division under head coach Tom O'Brien, and the Pack has yet to win at Boston College since the Eagles joined the ACC. State is 0-4 at Alumni Stadium, and this is the first time they lost by less than 20 points there.

What makes this loss difficult however was that BC entered the game at 2-7 and one of just two teams in the ACC that had no chance at a bowl game entering this weekend.

Can't blame the defense

The Pack's defense did get off to a slow start, giving up a touchdown on the opening drive and another in the second quarter, but State's defense stiffened up for a huge effort in the second half.

The Eagles went three and out in four out of five possessions after halftime, and the one drive they did get their lone first down of the second half was aided by an NC State offside on a second and seven that gave Boston College five yards.

NCSU ended up holding Boston College to 190 yards of total offense, 192 of which came in the first half (the Eagles had negative-two yards in the second half). That was BC's second lowest total of the year behind an anemic 141-yard effort at Central Florida Sept. 10. It is the second straight game State held an opponent under 200 total yards. UNC had 165 yards at NCSU last week.

Boston College's 10 first downs were the fewest since Western Carolina had nine in last year's season opener.

NC State sophomore corner David Amerson continues his assault on the record book with his 10th interception of the year. Amerson needs just one more to tie former UNC corner Dre Bly for the ACC record.

Can blame the loss on the offense

The Pack had a frustrating day on offense. Redshirt junior quarterback Mike Glennon completed 28 of 40 passes but for just 220 yards, an average of just 7.9 yards per completion. State struggled to find any offense downfield.

The Pack was held to 267 yards of total offense, making it three straight games under 300 yards of total offense for the Pack. State's 47 yards rushing was the third lowest of the season and just the fourth time they were held under 100 yards this year.

NC State has been held to 23 points over its last three games. The last time State had scored fewer in a three-game stretch was 18 points in the final two games of the 2007 campaign and the 2008 season opener. The last time State scored fewer points in a three-game period in one season was the first three contests of the 1987 season when the Pack had a combined total of 17 points.

Field position battle loss as well

This was a game to forget for freshman punter Wil Baumann. He was busy because of State's anemic offense, and he punted six times for just 31.2 yards per kick, with a long of 43 yards that was in part thanks to a bounce. Boston College started four times across its own 40-yard line. State's best starting field position was its own 40.

For Baumann, his average represented the lowest of his career in a single game this year. His previous worst was 34.3 yards at Virginia on nine punts.