North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack, Rivers Looking to Build on Fast Start
9/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 12, 2002
Fast starts are nothing new for NC State. It has been maintaining that momentum that has caused problems in recent seasons.
The 19th-ranked Wolfpack hope to make it four wins in as many games this season when they open their Atlantic Coast Conference schedule against Wake Forest.
NC State (3-0) has barely broken a sweat in its first three games, beating New Mexico, East Tennessee State and Navy by a combined 133-33 score. The Wolfpack, Wisconsin and Nebraska are the only Division-I teams that enter play this weekend 3-0.
This is the third time in four years that NC State has opened 3-0. The Wolfpack won their first four games in 2000 en route to an 8-4 finish, the school's best record since 1994.
Since 1997, N.C. State is 17-6 in August and September, just 20-19 the rest of the season.
Rivers threw for 309 yards, tied a school record with five touchdown passes and ran for another score in three quarters Saturday as NC State rolled to a 65-19 rout of Navy.
"I think we made a statement, a little bit," Rivers said. "I think we came out and showed we're a good team, and that we're going to be a team to make a lot of noise."
Through three games, the junior is 35-of-51 for 730 yards and has thrown for eight TDs while running for four. Rivers leads the nation in passing efficiency and is second in scoring responsibility.
"I don't know what I'd do if I was coaching against Philip Rivers," Wolfpack coach Chuck Amato said. "It depends on whether you want to have a slow death or let him get it all in one shot. He's an awful good quarterback."
The only negatives to come out of Saturday's victory were knee sprains suffered by center Jed Paulsen and defensive tackle Alan Halloway. Paulsen will likely miss Saturday's game, while Halloway is listed as doubtful.
"We've got a big problem there," Amato said. "Center is a position that goes unnoticed until he's not in there."
Wake Forest (1-1) evened its record with a 27-22 victory over East Carolina on Saturday, as James MacPherson passed for 216 yards and a touchdown.
MacPherson became the 10th quarterback in Wake Forest history to pass for more than 3,000 yards, but was not entirely pleased with his performance.
"We need to be more productive on offense when we have so many opportunities with the ball," MacPherson said. "The offense needs to work on being more consistent, that comes from me, it starts with the quarterback."
Wake Forest has lost nine of its last 10 ACC openers.
