Presbyterian @ North Carolina State preview

North Carolina State doesn't figure to be tested much by visiting Presbyterian College on Saturday night, but the unbeaten Wolfpack will be fighting an inclination to look ahead as they wind up the non-conference portion of their schedule. With top-ranked Florida State coming to town next week, North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren is emphasizing that his team focus on the immediate task at hand. “This is not a week where you look forward, it’s a week where you look inside,” Doeren said.

The Wolfpack have already received scares from Georgia Southern and Old Dominion and are coming off a winless ACC campaign in 2013, so Doeren knows his squad cannot underestimate any opponent - even with the defending national champions on deck. “You can’t get ready to play the conference schedule we have and ever think that any week isn’t the biggest week on the schedule,” Doeren said. The Blue Hose rebounded from a 55-3 mauling at Northern Illinois to post consecutive wins over Bluefield and Furman.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: None

ABOUT PRESBYTERIAN (2-1): The Blue Hose pulled off a confidence-building victory last week by knocking off Furman, which was ranked No. 12 in the FCS Coaches Poll. Presbyterian's defense, which was shredded by Northern Illinois for 635 yards in the season-opening drubbing, allowed only 214 yards and held Furman to seven points to break a 15-game losing streak in the series. Defensive back DaRon Dickey (five tackles, one forced fumble) and punter Stephen Doar earned weekly honors from the Big South Conference, with Doar dropping five punts inside the 20-yard line to help the Blue Hose win the field position battle.

NORTH CAROLINA STATE (3-0): The Wolfpack had to overcome a 14-point halftime deficit in a 24-23 opening victory over Georgia Southern before withstanding a late comeback to hold off Old Dominion 46-34, but they turned in a complete performance in last week's 49-17 rout of South Florida. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett has thrown for seven touchdowns versus one interception while completing 70.4 percent of his passes and has been helped by a ground game that amassed 315 yards last week. Shad Thornton and Matt Dayes are the top backs running behind a veteran offensive line, while sophomore wide receiver Bra’Lon Cherry accounted for three touchdowns last week to give him five on the season.

EXTRA POINTS

1. North Carolina State is seeking its first 4-0 start since 2010.

2. The Blue Hose have faced ACC foes in each of the past two seasons, losing at Wake Forest (31-7) and Georgia Tech (59-3).

3. The Wolfpack are averaging 243.3 yards rushing, a hefty increase over last season's average (162.7)

PREDICTION: North Carolina State 48, Presbyterian 9