N.C. State headed for Tangerine Bowl

RALEIGH, N.C. - North Carolina State, which finished the regular season with a disappointing 7-5 record, has been selected to play in the Tangerine Bowl, school officials said Tuesday.<br> <br> The selection came after the Gator Bowl selected Maryland as its Atlantic Coast Conference team, and Peach Bowl officials took Clemson.<br> <br> The Tangerine Bowl, which will be held Dec. 22 in Orlando, Fla., had the next pick among ACC-affiliated bowls.<br> <br> An opponent for N.C. State has not been selected, said Joe Galbraith, a spokesman for the bowl.<br> <br> At the start of the season, the Wolfpack was considered a serious challenger to Florida State&#39;s reign as ACC champion, and fans thought this would be the year the school would play in a BCS bowl. But a series of injuries to running back T.A. McLendon, combined with early season losses to Wake Forest and Ohio State, hurt the Wolfpack&#39;s chances of playing in a major bowl.<br> <br> N.C. State is tied with at least two other teams Georgia Tech and Virginia in ACC play at 4-4, and Wake Forest could join that group by beating Maryland on Saturday.<br> <br> N.C. State Athletic Director Lee Fowler said Monday before the Tangerine Bowl invitation arrived that he didn&#39;t think the school would have any problem selling out its allotment of tickets.<br> <br> ``I think people will want to see (quarterback) Philip Rivers play one last time, and I think it&#39;s a perfect time,&#39;&#39; Fowler said. ``People can go to the game and still be home two days before Christmas.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> N.C. State last played in the Tangerine Bowl in 2001, when the Wolfpack lost to Pittsburgh, 34-19.<br> <br> The Tangerine Bowl is sponsored by Mazda.