NC State @ Central Florida preview
Spectrum Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2007 ) Central Florida 25, North Carolina State 23
In what appears to be a fairly even matchup, North Carolina State hopes the quarterback spot will be the difference in Saturday’s game at Central Florida.
The Wolfpack’s Russell Wilson is a proven starter who threw for 306 yards (21-of-31) and four touchdowns in a 48-7 season-opening win over FCS opponent Western Carolina last week. It was sixth time in his career that Wilson threw for four or more touchdowns and his fifth game with at least 300 yards.
While Central Florida’s Rob Calabrese had possibly his best career game (12-of-15 passing, 176 yards, one touchdown) in last week’s 38-7 win over South Dakota of the FCS, he came into his junior season with a 4-7 record as a starter.
Calabrese was booed by some home fans during introductions, drawing an angry reaction and critical comments from coach George O’Leary. In his seventh season, O’Leary is looking for his first 2-0 start.
N.C. State (1-0), which was 5-7 last year, already knows how dangerous Central Florida (1-0) can be. The Black Knights opened the 2007 season by knocking off the Wolfpack 25-23 in Raleigh in Tom O’Brien’s first game as N.C. State coach.
Last year, UCF went 8-5, losing to Rutgers 45-24 in the St. Petersburg Bowl.
Wilson, returning from 250 days away from football while he played minor-league baseball, led the Wolfpack on seven straight scoring drives against Western Carolina. He hit track sprinter T.J. Graham for six receptions, 96 yards and two touchdowns. The emergence of Graham adds a blazing deep threat to a corps of receivers that was already one of the ACC’s best.
N.C. State’s defense regrouped last week after allowing an 87-yard touchdown drive on the opening possession. Western Carolina finished with just 189 yards and yielded four sacks.
In UCF’s opener, Calabrese dodged a heavy blitz all game and hit junior A.J. Guyton eight times for 127 yards and one touchdown. Tailback Jonathan Davis had a career-high 107 yards and one touchdown on 20 carries as UCF gained 231 yards on the ground.
The defense held South Dakota to 220 yards and did its best work after halftime, yielding just 79 yards.
Three N.C. State players who were held out of the opening game for disciplinary reasons will be available Saturday, though O’Brien has not said whether they will play.
They are offensive tackle Jake Vermiglio, a projected starter, and second-string defensive tackles J.R. Sweezy and Markus Kuhn.