No. 23 NC State battles Maryland on this 12 months’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl, and earlier than we get into the meat and potatoes of the matchup between the Wolfpack and the Terrapins, let’s reply the query on all people’s thoughts. Sure, the successful coach may have a Gatorade bucket of mayonnaise dumped on their head after the sport. Each NC State’s Dave Doeren and Maryland’s Mike Locksley have agreed to hold on the custom began by South Carolina coach Shane Beamer final season, and we’re all higher off for it. Bowl video games are supposed to be enjoyable rewards, and any time we are able to add an additional layer of silliness to the proceedings, that is what we should always do.

The Wolfpack enter as a ranked group, but it surely’s been a considerably disappointing season. Seen as a darkish horse ACC contender to begin the season, they started the 12 months with a 5-1 file earlier than accidents derailed issues as NC State went 3-3 down the stretch. Maryland opened the season with six wins in its first eight video games however misplaced three of its remaining 4, with the lone win being a 37-0 rout over Rutgers to complete the common season.

The way to watch Duke’s Mayo Bowl dwell

Date: Friday, Dec. 30 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Financial institution of America Stadium — Charlotte, North Carolina
TV: ESPN | Dwell stream: fuboTV (Strive at no cost)

Maryland vs. NC State: Must know

This sport is for all of the marbles: These applications are very conversant in each other; Maryland was a member of the ACC alongside NC State earlier than becoming a member of the Large Ten in 2014. They’ve performed 70 occasions, although this would be the first assembly since Maryland’s final ACC season in 2013. That was Dave Doeren’s first 12 months in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the Terps greeted him with a 41-21 victory which left the collection even at 33-33-4. So not solely does the winner of this sport get the illustrious title of Duke’s Mayo Bowl champion, however they will take the lead within the collection historical past — and who is aware of when these two will meet once more. 

Questions in regards to the Wolfpack offense: MJ Morris started the season as NC State’s third-string QB, however he is anticipated to begin the bowl sport. Devin Leary was the group’s unique starter, however he went down with an harm in the course of the season and has since transferred to Kentucky. Jack Chambers stepped in as Leary’s alternative, however the offense struggled earlier than Morris took over. Morris then acquired harm and missed State’s remaining two video games of the common season, however he must be good to go for this one. In fact, he will not have the identical coach calling performs as offensive coordinator Tim Beck left to take the pinnacle teaching job at Coastal Carolina.

The 2022 season adopted the script for the Terps: The Terps weren’t a troublesome group to foretell in 2022. They had been favored in eight of their 12 video games and went 7-1. The lone loss was a 31-29 dwelling loss to Purdue. In 4 video games as an underdog, they went 0-4. That is unhealthy information for them on this spot, as a result of after opening as 2.5-point favorites, the Terps have since turn out to be underdogs as a result of variety of opt-outs they’ve had on the offensive facet of the ball.

Duke’s Mayo Bowl prediction, picks

As I wrote above, when Maryland is favored, it wins. When it is an underdog, it loses. It is an underdog on this matchup as a result of it will likely be with out Rakim Jarrett, Dontay Demus, Jacob Copeland and C.J. Dippre on offense. These 4 mixed for 118 catches for 1,094 yards and 9 touchdowns. Whereas the group’s main receiver, Jeshaun Jones, is predicted to play, that is quite a lot of manufacturing the Terps have to switch, and Taulia Tagovailoa has all the time been a QB who spreads the ball round as a substitute of counting on a well-liked goal. Whereas I’ve issues in regards to the Wolfpack offense, there is a purpose the teaching employees is as excessive on M.J. Morris as it’s. He is a gifted participant with big-time potential, and maybe we see glimpses of it on this sport. Prediction: NC State -1

Which faculty soccer picks are you able to make with confidence throughout bowl season, and which underdogs will win outright? Go to SportsLine to see which groups will win and canopy the unfold — all from a confirmed laptop mannequin that has returned virtually $2,500 in revenue over the previous six-plus seasons — and discover out.