http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/ncsu/story/752337.html
Caulton Tudor, Staff Writer
RALEIGH - It's still a long shot and N.C. State is far from being a polished football machine, but the Wolfpack may yet be able to bleed a bowl bid of some sort out of this season.
With Saturday's rollicking 29-24 upset of No. 21 Virginia in Carter-Finley Stadium, the same State team that looked long gone in September is back to 3-5 overall, on a two-game win streak against solid opponents and getting progressively more confident that the winning can be extended in the four remaining chances.
And really, it's not fair to say this is the same Wolfpack team that lost successive games to Clemson, Louisville and Florida State after starting the schedule 0-2 with losses to Central Florida and Boston College.
The team that whipped Virginia doesn't have nearly as much talent and depth as the team that started the season. That earlier State team had Andre Brown and Toney Baker at running back, a much healthier defense and a faster supply of wide receivers.
But sometimes it's not entirely about depth, talent, numbers, stop watches and bench presses. Morale and attitude still can be important in college football, and State has made impressive strides in both categories.
"I'm so happy for these guys, but we can't be satisfied now," Tom O'Brien said after his first ACC win as the Wolfpack's coach. "We talked about making the most of the rest of the season, and that's what we still have to keep in mind."
It's for certain that wide receiver Donald Bowens, quarterback Daniel Evans, tight end Marcus Stone, the patched-up offensive line and almost everyone on the defensive unit are making the most of their time.
With wideout star John Dunlap sidelined by injury, 6-foot-3 Bowens, a sophomore who almost picked Virginia in recruiting, did his best to put on a Torry Holt, Jerricho Cotchery kind of performance.
Bowens' 11 receptions for 202 yards and two touchdowns weren't enough to make the record book, but it's been a while since a Wolfpack wide receiver had a better game under more difficult circumstances. He got some help from unexpected sources -- Koyal George and Owen Spencer -- but Bowens might as well have played the entire game with a target around the No. 80 on his jersey.
Evans was much the same quarterback who engineered a 34-20 win a week earlier at East Carolina. He rarely threw a poor pass, finishing with 26 completions, 347 yards and three touchdown passes.
"Daniel did a great job throwing, and Donald and Marcus went and caught everything in sight," O'Brien said. "But we got some blocking up front, too. Those guys really stayed with it."
The offensive line did its best job while double-teaming Chris Long, the Cavaliers' all-star defensive end. Long caused some trouble and pressured Evans a time or two, but he didn't disrupt the passing pocket to the extent that State had a panic pass throughout.
Long may yet win the ACC defensive player of the year award, but the loss was probably enough to throw the Cavaliers' Al Groh a step or two behind Boston College's Jeff Jagodzinski in the coach-of-the-year running.
At 4-1 in the ACC and 7-2 overall, Groh's team is still playing miles above expectations and could stay in contention for the league's Coastal Division championship all the way. The Cavaliers' three remaining games are against Wake Forest and Virginia Tech in Charlottesville and Miami on the road.
State has to make the Miami trip this week and goes to Wake on Nov. 17. Winning either game will be difficult, but the two remaining home games for the Pack are against North Carolina and Maryland, and both of those teams are struggling.
Getting to 7-5 or 6-6 will be a challenge, but at least it's still within the realm of mathematical possibilities. It's certainly a lot better than seemed possible a month ago.
Caulton Tudor, Staff Writer
RALEIGH - It's still a long shot and N.C. State is far from being a polished football machine, but the Wolfpack may yet be able to bleed a bowl bid of some sort out of this season.
With Saturday's rollicking 29-24 upset of No. 21 Virginia in Carter-Finley Stadium, the same State team that looked long gone in September is back to 3-5 overall, on a two-game win streak against solid opponents and getting progressively more confident that the winning can be extended in the four remaining chances.
And really, it's not fair to say this is the same Wolfpack team that lost successive games to Clemson, Louisville and Florida State after starting the schedule 0-2 with losses to Central Florida and Boston College.
The team that whipped Virginia doesn't have nearly as much talent and depth as the team that started the season. That earlier State team had Andre Brown and Toney Baker at running back, a much healthier defense and a faster supply of wide receivers.
But sometimes it's not entirely about depth, talent, numbers, stop watches and bench presses. Morale and attitude still can be important in college football, and State has made impressive strides in both categories.
"I'm so happy for these guys, but we can't be satisfied now," Tom O'Brien said after his first ACC win as the Wolfpack's coach. "We talked about making the most of the rest of the season, and that's what we still have to keep in mind."
It's for certain that wide receiver Donald Bowens, quarterback Daniel Evans, tight end Marcus Stone, the patched-up offensive line and almost everyone on the defensive unit are making the most of their time.
With wideout star John Dunlap sidelined by injury, 6-foot-3 Bowens, a sophomore who almost picked Virginia in recruiting, did his best to put on a Torry Holt, Jerricho Cotchery kind of performance.
Bowens' 11 receptions for 202 yards and two touchdowns weren't enough to make the record book, but it's been a while since a Wolfpack wide receiver had a better game under more difficult circumstances. He got some help from unexpected sources -- Koyal George and Owen Spencer -- but Bowens might as well have played the entire game with a target around the No. 80 on his jersey.
Evans was much the same quarterback who engineered a 34-20 win a week earlier at East Carolina. He rarely threw a poor pass, finishing with 26 completions, 347 yards and three touchdown passes.
"Daniel did a great job throwing, and Donald and Marcus went and caught everything in sight," O'Brien said. "But we got some blocking up front, too. Those guys really stayed with it."
The offensive line did its best job while double-teaming Chris Long, the Cavaliers' all-star defensive end. Long caused some trouble and pressured Evans a time or two, but he didn't disrupt the passing pocket to the extent that State had a panic pass throughout.
Long may yet win the ACC defensive player of the year award, but the loss was probably enough to throw the Cavaliers' Al Groh a step or two behind Boston College's Jeff Jagodzinski in the coach-of-the-year running.
At 4-1 in the ACC and 7-2 overall, Groh's team is still playing miles above expectations and could stay in contention for the league's Coastal Division championship all the way. The Cavaliers' three remaining games are against Wake Forest and Virginia Tech in Charlottesville and Miami on the road.
State has to make the Miami trip this week and goes to Wake on Nov. 17. Winning either game will be difficult, but the two remaining home games for the Pack are against North Carolina and Maryland, and both of those teams are struggling.
Getting to 7-5 or 6-6 will be a challenge, but at least it's still within the realm of mathematical possibilities. It's certainly a lot better than seemed possible a month ago.