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N.C. State Earns Bid To Meineke Car Care Bowl

Dec 4, 2005

RALEIGH, N.C. — N.C. State's football team will go bowling in its home state New Year's Eve, facing Big East opponent South Florida in the

Meineke Car Care Bowl

in Charlotte, the bowl's executive director announced Sunday afternoon.

Extending the invitation via speakerphone, Will Webb, the bowl's executive director, said that the Wolfpack's strong finish to the season was a big factor in choosing the team.

"We are thrilled to be able to play a postseason bowl in our home state," head coach Chuck Amato said Sunday afternoon. "One of the big reasons that we are headed to a bowl is because of our unbelievable fans, and to be able to play in a place that is accessible to them is icing on the cake."

The bowl marks Amato's fifth postseason appearance in his six years as head coach at N.C. State. The Wolfpack has posted a 3-1 record in bowls under Coach Amato.

South Florida finished tied for third in the Big East with a 6-5 record and is making its first postseason appearance.

The Meineke Car Care Bowl will be played on New Year's Eve at 11 a.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2 from the Bank of America Stadium. Tickets, starting at $30, are available now on

gopack.com

or Monday at N.C. State's athletic ticket office. More information is available online or by calling

1-800-310-PACK

.

N.C. State became bowl eligible last Saturday after the team beat Maryland 20-14.