Before Sept. 1, no Division I-AA school had ever beaten a ranked Division I-A school in football — until the Appalachian State Mountaineers stunned then-No. 5 Michigan and made football fantasy a reality.
Although N.C State (0-2, 0-1 ACC) is unranked, the Wolfpack hosts Division I-AA Wofford College (2-0) Saturday at 6 p.m. at Carter Finley Stadium, and coach Tom O’Brien said he could not help but mention to his team how seriously they should take Saturday’s game.
“We talked about it on Sunday,” O’Brien said. “But then after that it was over. The point was made. Right now it doesn’t matter who we play, we have to respect everybody.”
After a 37-17 loss to Boston College last weekend, O’Brien and the Pack will look to snap a nine-game losing streak that dates back to last October. O’Brien said he is not worried about the losing streak; he is solely focused on beating Wofford.
“I don’t know anything about last season,” O’Brien said. “I’m worried about my two games here. I don’t think our morale’s been affected one way or another. In fact, I think we’re getting better at what we’re doing. It’s going to end. It’s going to turn sometime, hopefully Saturday.”
Redshirt sophomore Harrison Beck will again get the start at quarterback after he threw for 321 yards and five interceptions against Boston College.
According to O’Brien, he is less concerned with Beck’s play and more concerned with the defense stepping up against an explosive Wofford offense that has helped earned the Terriers the No. 10 ranking in the Division I-AA Coaches’ Poll.
“I haven’t spent a lot of time with the offense this week,” O’Brien said. “But I’ve looked at the tape, and I think he [Beck] has played fine.”
With Wofford averaging 45 points, 466 overall yards and 359 rushing yards in its two games this season, O’Brien said the majority of his time has been spent preparing his defense, particularly in reading formations and tackling, for Saturday. State has allowed an average of 218.5 rushing yards in its two games this season.
“They have all kinds of different formations and different ways they move their people around,” O’Brien said. “Short motions, quick motions things like that. You have to get lined up first, you have to read your keys, then you have to tackle them.”
Wofford’s starting quarterback Josh Collier is listed as questionable for Saturday’s game, and Ben Widmyer is expected to start in his absence. Still, O’Brien said the Pack will be prepared for either quarterback.
“You have to line up first,” O’Brien said. “We’re preparing for their offense. It really doesn’t matter which quarterback plays if you’re ready to play the offense.”
Offensively, O’Brien said the Pack is still searching to develop a running game and limit turnovers through the air. He said he is confident the backs will “keep banging it away and it [success] will come.”
N.C. State will also recognize and honor 75 wounded marines for their service as Saturday is Military Appreciation Day at Carter Finley Stadium.
The soldiers will go through the Walk of Champions with the team and partake in several pre-game ceremonies, as well as game-time recognition.
O’Brien, a former Marine, said he would like to honor the troops with a win.
“I think it’s something special,” O’Brien said. “They are the true heroes and I think that we need to give them a good Wolfpack welcome. It’s great that our school and our administration would think to have them come in and feed them dinner and have them be part of the football game. Hopefully we’ll put on a good show for them.”
