RALEIGH — There were the usual highlights for N.C. State in the Kay Yow Spring Game on Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Mike Glennon made some nice throws and David Amerson had a sweet interception — off Glennon. History will note the Black team beat the White, 32-7 in front of a crowd of 24,797. More importantly, the game raised more than $26,000 for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.  
 

N.C. State coach Tom O’Brien saw positives and negatives in the Wolfpack’s first scrimmage of the spring Saturday – which is about what he expected.

O’Brien enjoyed watching quarterback Mike Glennon throw against the first-team secondary. In 75 plays, the offense scored two touchdowns, both on passes. The defense, which had 27 interceptions last season, picked off two passes in the scrimmage.

O’Brien said Glennon and the secondary are improving.

“(The secondary) is operating at a high level, which is good for them and our quarterback,” O’Brien said. “It’s all about making each other better.”

N.C. State begins spring football practice Friday afternoon with Wolfpack fans concerned more about the basketball doings in St. Louis than football in West Raleigh.

But it's an important time for any football team and again will be for the Pack, 8-5 last season and a bowl winner in Tom O'Brien's fifth year as coach.

"The emphasis, as always, is to be better individually," O'Brien said today. "As individuals improve, the team improves. Certainly as the spring goes along there are certain things we need to look at, offensively, defensively, schematically, to make us better. There are some younger players we need to look at in situational things."

Updated 12:17 a.m.

CHARLOTTE — There was no such thing as the easy way for N.C. State's football team in the 2011 season.

So when it took a 21-point lead in the third quarter, you got the feeling Louisville would make the Belk Bowl interesting.

The Wolfpack held on for a 31-24 win over the Cardinals in front of 58,427 fans at Bank of America Stadium on Tuesday night.

CHARLOTTESVILLE — Faced with a must-win situation, N.C. State found a way to beat Virginia on the road on Saturday.

David Amerson's interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter sealed a 28-14 win for the Wolfpack which needs to finish the second half of the season with a flurry.

Russell Wilson has Wisconsin unbeaten and ranked in the top 5 nationally and has emerged as a Heisman Trophy candidate but N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien isn't sure his former quarterback could have made a significant difference in the Wolfpack's record through six games this season.

N.C. State's 3-3 with a litany of injuries and problems on defense heading into Saturday's game at Virginia.

"Probably not because it hasn't been a lack of offense," O'Brien said today. "There isn't anything throw-wise or leadership-wise offensively that would be any different at this point in the season."

RALEIGH — N.C. State used four touchdown passes from Mike Glennon and four second-half interceptions by its defense to beat Central Michigan, 38-24, for its first win over a major Division I opponent of the season.

Decked out in all-black uniforms, with pink numbers (for breast cancer awareness) and red helmets, the Wolfpack looked different. The Pack's beleaguered defense played different, especially in the second half.

Central Michigan quarterback Ryan Radcliff threw four interceptions in the second half, three in the decisive third quarter as State stretched a four-point halftime lead to 38-17.

N.C. State's road trip to Cincinnati is a chance for the Wolfpack to play in the national spotlight and also for coach Tom O'Brien, and several of his players and assistants, to go home.

O'Brien grew up in Cincinnati and played high school football at St. Xavier. Offensive coordinator Dana Bible followed O'Brien at St. Xavier and played cornerback for the Bearcats in the mid-1970s and coached at UC and in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals.

The rave reviews for Russell Wilson's performance last night in Wisconsin's opener keep coming in.

In this report from correspondent Jason McMahon of the Wisconsin State Journal, Wilson's new teammates up in Madison, Wisc., were gushing postgame about the 255 passing yards, two TDS and 46-yard TD run he racked up in just one half of play against overwhelmed UNLV.

N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien was vague with the details about Monday's scrimmage at Carter-Finley Stadium, the first of training camp, but he was impressed with the team's enthusiasm and his new quarterback.

"There's good competition right now, especially between the offense and defense," O'Brien said. "They have a pretty good thing going right now and that's how you get better."