Technician Online

November 4th, 2007

Big win = bright future?

Posted 2:35 p.m.

No doubt about it: it was a big win yesterday for N.C. State. The Wolfpack was down for most of the game, but graduate kicker Steve Hauschka came through big time, hitting four field goals – all in the fourth quarter and overtime – including the game-winner after Miami kicker Daren Daly missed a potential go-ahead kick in overtime.

It was a gritty, hard-fought win – the kind that only builds confidence. For a team like State that’s been steadily building confidence over the past few weeks, it could mean big things for the rest of the season.

How big could a season be for a team that’s still under .500 nine games in? Put it this way: six games into the season State was 1-5. Raise your hand if you thought State would be mathematically in the running for a bowl game at the beginning of November. There shouldn’t be too many people with their hands raised.

State has a solid chance of finishing this season 6-6, which would be a monumental season considering how the team started.

Early on in Saturday’s game, it looked as though the Wolfpack from the first half of the season was coming back. Penalties killed drives and nullified big returns by Darrell Blackmon. The offense sputtered as Daniel Evans struggled with his accuracy.

But something happened over the rest of the game that did not happen in the first half of the season: State fought through it. Evans completed passes when he needed to, and the penalties dissipated enough to allow the Pack to move the ball when it needed to move the ball.

With the North Carolina game this weekend – a game many State fans will proclaim to be the only one that matters – fighting through adversity is a great sign for the Pack.

The Orange Bowl was only half full, but it was still hostile for the Pack, who managed to fight through it and make plays when necessary. The win means State will be playing Carolina with a chance to get to .500 for the first time this season.

A home game against the Tar Heels with a chance to break even on a season that started 1-5? Wow. Should be a raucous atmosphere at Carter-Finley on Saturday.

And you know what? If the N.C. State that beat East Carolina, Virginia and Miami shows up for the rest of the season, this team might not lose another game.

Brian Grossman
Deputy Sports Editor

J. Mike Blake
Senior Staff Writer

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 4th, 2007 at 3:35 pm and is filed under Miami Musings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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