NC State Preview

When Tom O'Brien left Boston College to take the NC State job last year I thought he was crazy. Midway through this season he looked if possible even dumbed as BC was ranked second in the nation and NC State was limping through a horrible campaign. But now BC looks ripe for the picking (I am very confident Florida State will defeat them this Saturday) and NC State is beginning to play the way O'Brien envisioned when he took the job. Consecutive quality wins over East Carolina (a traditional rival NC State refused to play for years) and Virginia have NC State sniffing bowl eligibility after starting the season 1-5. It gets easier for the Wolfpack this week as they travel to face the Kyle Wright less Hurricanes whose defensive performances over the last month have made the local pro football team look like world beaters.

Daniel Evans is one of the better QBs Miami will face in ACC play. He's has all the tools and has looked outstanding the past few weeks. His weapons are all home grown Floridians or so it seems, a legacy to the fine recruiting Chuck Amato did in the Sunshine State. John Dunlap, a local kid from Hollywood is someone the Hurricanes sure could have used the past few seasons. Donald Bowens is a good one as well, and Amato got him even though Urban Meyer wanted him badly.

Andre Brown introduced himself to the nation two years ago when he ran all over FSU in Tallahassee. This year he is joined in the backfield by Jamelle Eugene to form a dynamic one two punch.

NC State's pass defense is very good, but their run defense is horrible. Nonetheless, after a rocky start Tom O'Brien's team had adjusted to his style of coaching and should settle down with one of the easiest road trips any school in the ACC has: Miami the week after a bye during the day. If NC State doesn't win this, O'Brien will look like an even bigger fool for taking the Wolfpack job. Keep in mind O'Brien has never beaten Miami, going 0-9 vs the Canes at BC, but this is a different time and this isn't your father's Miami Hurricanes.

Kirby Freeman played heroically against Florida State leading an epic drive to seize the lead inside of two minutes. Freeman however, as we have seen time and time again is limited playing the QB position. He comes in as the only healthy QB Miami has, and he is sore from the hit inflicted upon him by Geno Hayes on the winning TD. Chances are he'll have to make plays in this game, and as we all know he probably won't. Unless Kyle Wright plays, I see very little chance for Miami, but the home crowd and NC State's own limitations should keep the scoreline artificially close.

PREDICTION: NC STATE 20 MIAMI 13