North Carolina @ North Carolina State preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 27, 2012 ) North Carolina State 35, North Carolina 43

The running ability of North Carolina State’s Shadrach Thornton and the tweeting fingers of North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron are spicing up Saturday’s lackluster meeting between the nearby schools. The host Wolfpack will be seeking another huge game from Thornton after the sophomore rushed for a career-best 173 yards against Florida State last weekend. Ebron irritated North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren by using Twitter to predict the Tar Heels were going to badly beat the Wolfpack.

Both teams are enduring tough seasons and feeling the heat now that the other neighboring ACC team, Duke, features the best football program in the Raleigh-Durham area. The Tar Heels lost four consecutive contests before defeating Boston College last Saturday, while the Wolfpack have lost their first four conference games for the first time since 1953. North Carolina State hopes to receive a strong performance from quarterback Brandon Mitchell, who was rusty in the loss to Florida State after missing the previous five games with a broken left foot.

TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: North Carolina -3.5

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (2-5, 1-3 ACC): Quarterback Bryn Renner, who has been sharp in two games since sitting out against Virginia Tech with a foot injury, became the third player in school history to top 8,000 career passing yards by going 18-of-21 for 227 yards against Boston College. Renner (8,097 yards) ranks second in program history with 64 passing touchdowns, four behind the mark held by Darian Durant (2001-04). Middle linebacker Jeff Schoettmer has gone from a walk-on in 2011 to a standout performer (team-high 57 tackles), while free safety Tre Boston has made a team-leading three interceptions to raise his career total to 11.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA STATE (3-4, 0-4 ACC): Mitchell was just 17-of-33 for 128 yards with two interceptions in his return for an offense that struggled without him while Pete Thomas (three touchdowns, eight interceptions) was the starter. “I feel a lot more confident now having that one game under my belt,” Mitchell said earlier this week. Thornton’s rushing performance was the program’s best since 2006, and receiver Bryan Underwood also is thriving with 24 of his team-best 32 receptions coming over the last four games. Middle linebacker Robert Caldwell (team-best 54 tackles) and free safety Dontae Johnson (team-leading three interceptions) are the top players for a defensive unit allowing 25.1 points per game.

EXTRA POINTS

1. North Carolina leads the series 64-32-6 but had dropped five straight prior to last season’s 43-35 victory.

2. Ebron has 35 receptions for 599 yards, totals that rank second nationally among tight ends behind Texas Tech’s Jace Amaro (64 for 861).

3. Wolfpack DE Art Norman has seven tackles for loss this season and 25 in his career.

PREDICTION: North Carolina State 34, North Carolina 31