N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien suspended running back Mustafa Greene for Saturday's 31-7 win over South Alabama.

O'Brien didn't give a reason for Greene's absence, nor did he give a timetable for Greene's return.

"I don't have any comment on his status going forward," O'Brien said.

Updated 10:44 p.m.

RALEIGH -- Throughout the week, Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said the only way Duke could truly put its loss at Stanford in the past was to get back to work.

Apex graduate Alston Kearns helped N.C. State volleyball respectable as a freshman.

As a sophomore, she's helped put the program on ESPN.

N.C. State made the NCAA tournament last season on the strength of its nonconference schedule.

There won't be as many big games outside the ACC this season (Michigan, UConn), but the schedule is loaded with RPI-helpers (Western Michigan, St. Bonaventure) and experienced tournament teams (Norfolk State, Cleveland State).

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — N.C. State needed a win after losing its opener to Tennessee, not style points.

Artistry was definitely at a premium but N.C. State held on for a 10-7 win over Connecticut after an excruciating 60 minutes of football.

Mike Glennon's 46-yard touchdown pass to Bryan Underwood and a 41-yard field goal by Niklas Sade were N.C. State's only points.

Friday night, Ralph Sampson will take his place among the game's greatest basketball players when he is formally inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame.

Sampson, who grew up in Harrisonburg, Va., picked Virginia over UNC (among others). He dominated college basketball like few others and had plenty of success against Triangle teams.

We caught up with Terry Holland, Sampson's coach and now ECU's AD, to talk about Ralph's rivalry against UNC, Duke and N.C. State.

Quarterback Russell Wilson and guard J.R. Sweezy are expected to start for Seattle on Sunday in their opener at Arizona. Sweezy played defensive tackle in college but has moved to offense in the pros.

Defensive tackle Markus Kuhn played last night for the New York Giants in their season-opening loss to Dallas.

N.C. State's defense relied on a successful formula of getting to the quarterback and causing turnovers in 2010 and 2011. In Friday's 35-21 loss to Tennessee, the Wolfpack did neither.

State's defense finished the Tennessee game with one sack and one turnover. Instead of big plays by the Pack's defense, it was the Volunteers who had five plays of 20 yards or more on offense.

N.C. State senior cornerback C.J. Wilson will serve a four-game academic suspension from the NCAA, Wolfpack coach Tom O'Brien said Monday.

Wilson, a three-year starter, did not pass enough credit hours in the spring semester, O'Brien said. Wilson graduated in Dec. 2011 but under NCAA rules, needed to take 12 hours in the spring and pass six. Wilson did not meet the NCAA standard, O'Brien said.

ATLANTA — The first "S-E-C!" chant started in the Georgia Dome with 4 minutes left in the third quarter.

And why not?

Tennessee, the last-place team in the East Division a year ago, showed why college football is the Southeastern Conference's domain and everyone else is just paying rent with a 35-21 win against an over-matched N.C. State team in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff on Friday night.