The Holiday Bowl is one of those national showcase games for NC State, the kind that haven’t gone well under Dave Doeren. The Wolfpack can make a statement for the 2022 college football season with a win over UCLA on Tuesday night.
Posted December 28,2021 10:09 a.m. EST Updated December 28,2021 10:25 a.m. EST By Joe Giglio, WRALSportsFan Technically, the Holiday Bowl marks the end of NC State’s 2021 season. In reality, tonight’s primetime matchup (8 p.m., Fox 50) with UCLA out in San Diego is the start of the 2022 college football season for the Wolfpack. This is another one of those chances for NC State and coach Dave Doeren to show people nationally, who don’t always pay attention to the Wolfpack, the progress the program has made. These showcase spots — if you want to go back to the opener against South Carolina in 2017 or the bowl game with Kentucky last season or the Mississippi State road game this season — have gone poorly for Doeren. UCLA (8-4) is not an SEC team and the Bruins are not in the top 25 but they have an outstanding coach in Chip Kelly and the kind of offense that can beat you.
