Maryland football has its bowl destination and opponent! The Terps, after finishing the season 7-5, will face off against No. 23 NC State in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

This is the first time the 2 schools have met on the gridiron since Maryland left the ACC for the B1G in 2014. That’s a reunion that a lot of people will be excited for.

To get you ready for Dec. 30, here are 5 things to know about the Wolfpack:

Struggles in the ACC

NC State was so close, yet so far in the battle to win the ACC. Kind of.

The Wolfpack are 1 of only 3 teams in the ACC that is currently ranked, but still finished 5th in the Atlantic Division.

NC State lost to Louisville, Boston College, Syracuse and Clemson on its way to a 4-4 conference record. The Terps, for what it’s worth, finished 4-5 and 4th in the B1G East.

All-time series

The all-time series between the teams is tied: 33-33-4.

It’s been pretty close in recent years, too. NC State has won 3 of the past 5 meetings and the teams have split the past 10. Truly, this may be a coin flip game.

A strong defense

NC State has one of the best defenses in the ACC this season. The Wolfpack have allowed just 19.4 points per game this year, good enough for 14th in the country. NC State is also allowing just 325.7 yards per game to opposing offenses, good for No. 21 in the country.

That’ll present a tough test for Taulia Tagovailoa and the Maryland offense, one that has has been as average as it can be this season. The Terps rank No. 51 in total yards per game.

Advantage, Wolfpack.

Up and down

Well, maybe.

NC State has been the definition of a roller coaster of inconsistency this season. Let’s have a look at the past 4 games as an example.

They start with an excellent win over Wale Forest, 30 21. At that point in the year, the Wolfpack were 7-2 and had a good chance at fighting for an ACC Championship berth. Instead, they went the wrong direction, losing to Louisville and Boston College back-to-back. Then, on Rivalry Week, NC State turned around and downed No. 17 North Carolina.

Ultimately, you have to ask yourself prior to kickoff: Which NC State team are you going to see take the field?

The ‘home team’

Let’s address the elephant in the room: This is essentially a home game for the Wolfpack.

The Mayo Bowl takes place in Charlotte, roughly 170 driving miles from Raleigh, where NC State is located. College Park, however, is a 6-hour drive if you can manage to avoid rush hour.

There will still be plenty of Maryland fans in attendance, but it’s infinitely easier for NC State fans to get to Bank of America Stadium.