North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Looks to Get on Winning Streak
10/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 8, 2005
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C. - After enduring several close ACC defeats over the last season and a half, perhaps it should have been no surprise that NC State's celebration following Thursday night's 17-14 victory at Georgia Tech included a mix of both euphoria and relief. Now 2-2 overall and 1-2 in ACC play, the Wolfpack will set its sights on winning back-to-back games for the first time since early last season. And like its next opponent - Clemson - the Pack has every right to believe that it is just a couple of plays away from having an even better record.
Prior to winning in Atlanta for the first time since 1988 on Thursday, NC State head coach Chuck Amato kept saying his team was "close." Well, yes, the Wolfpack knows something about close shaves. Dating back to last season, eight of the Wolfpack's last 10 ACC games have literally been decided in the final minutes. Of course, the majority of those games had gone the other way before Reggie Ball's pass caromed off of receiver Calvin Johnson's hands and into the waiting arms of rover Garland Heath for a game-saving interception in Atlanta.
"Every [ACC] game that we've been in has gone down to the last play," said Amato. "Theoretically, every game could have been won or lost on the last play and they were decided on the last play of the game. I know what it's like to lose on the last play of the game."
For that reason, you can't blame Amato for feeling like NC State was due a little fortune. The Pack did indeed get a nice, convenient bounce at the end of the game at Tech, but that opportunity would not have presented itself had a fatigued defense not been able to finish the job. The Yellow Jackets 91st and final play resulted in Heath's interception. On the play before, however, senior linebacker Oliver Hoyte saved the day by fighting off a block attempt by running back P.J. Daniels and running Ball down from behind at the two-yard line.
"[Former NC State coach] Earle Edwards taught me a long time ago, `Chuck, don't ever apologize for a victory. The object is to win the game, no matter how you do it,'" Amato said. "These young men - contrary to popular belief - have a lot of character. You have to have that when you lose two games on the last play of the game. You've got to have a firm belief that you're going to win, and these kids have that."
Now with Tommy Bowden's equally as snake bit club coming to Raleigh next Thursday, the Pack will look to do two things it hasn't done in a while: put together a winning streak and walk off the Carter-Finley Stadium turf with an ACC triumph at home.
NC State hasn't won consecutive games since topping Virginia Tech and Wake Forest in late September and early October of last year. And that 27-21 win over the Deacons on October 2, 2004 was the Wolfpack's last conference victory at Carter-Finley.
"We've got to win home or away," said Amato. "We have to win a game here for everybody involved. Can you imagine this place if that game the other night was played here and was won here, how crazy the fans and everything would have been on that last play? We have collapsible goal posts so they couldn't have taken them down. [Winning at home] is important. It's important to these young men."
Clemson can certainly empathize with NC State's plight over the last few seasons. After opening with close wins over Texas A&M and Maryland, the Tigers have dropped their last three by a grand total of 13 points. Two of those losses - to Miami and Boston College - went into overtime.
"We're doing everything in our power to get ready to play a good Clemson team that could just as easily be 5-0 as they are 2-3," said Amato. "That's the way this league is. It's going to be a crazy year."
More Pack Points: NC State safety Miguel Scott, who was injured after making a second quarter interception in Atlanta, is listed as doubtful for the Clemson game with an ankle sprain. Cornerback Jeremy Gray also has a sprained ankle and is listed as questionable. Speaking of close games, seven of the last eight games between the Tigers and Wolfpack have been decided by eight points or less. Clemson prevailed last year in Death Valley, 26-20. NC State kicker/punter John Deraney continues to have an all-conference caliber season. Now 7-of-7 on field goal attempts and perfect on extra points, the redshirt junior has also recorded 13 touchbacks on 21 kickoffs. The average starting field position for Pack opponents after kickoffs has been the 20 yard line. Deraney is also averaging nearly 42 yards on 22 punts. Two of his boots at Georgia Tech were downed inside the five-yard line.
