Associated Press
BOSTON ó North Carolina State and Boston College are on two different paths.
Boston College is going through its worst season since 1998. It’s run of 12 straight bowl games is over.
On Thursday, The Eagles (2-7, 1-5 ACC) fell behind by four touchdowns without collecting a first down until late in the first half in a nationally televised blowout loss to Florida State.
The Wolfpack (5-4, 2-3) dominated from start to finish last Saturday, shutting out rival North Carolina while holding the Tar Heels to just 3 yards rushing. They are on track for a bowl game for the second straight year.
But they expect to see similar styles when former BC coach Tom O’Brien leads the Wolfpack back to his former place of work on Saturday afternoon.
MARYLAND-NOTRE DAME
LANDOVER, Md. ó Notre Dame will travel halfway across the country to play a “home” game against Maryland on Saturday night in a stadium only 12 miles from the Terrapins’ campus.
It’s all part of Notre Dame’s plan to play one off-site home game per year. The Irish faced Washington State in San Antonio in 2009, hosted Army at Yankee Stadium in 2010 and will face Arizona State at Cowboys Stadium in Texas in 2013.
Next up: FedEx Field, home of the Washington Redskins.
“As we have looked to move one game a season around the country, playing in the Washington D.C. area seemed a natural,” Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said.
It can’t hurt recruiting, either. So Irish coach Brian Kelly won’t complain too much about the quirk in the schedule.
“Playing on the East Coast, it’s a great area to recruit, get great exposure on NBC in primetime,” Kelly said. “We’re really happy about those things.î