Thursday night's college football offering had to be almost as disturbing for N.C. State fans as the previous week's season-opening, ESPN event.
On Aug. 28, N.C. State suffered a 34-0 humiliation at the hands of South Carolina while Erin Andrews prowled the sideline. A week later, that same South Carolina team fell 24-17 at Vanderbilt.
Starting running back Jamelle Eugene will miss his second straight game with an ankle injury Saturday when N.C. State plays host to William & Mary, but quarterback Russell Wilson has not been ruled out of the game.
Wilson, who suffered a Grade 3 concussion in the Aug. 28 opener at South Carolina, is listed as questionable in the injury report released to the media Thursday about an hour after the end of practice.
It's all quarterbacks, all the time in Week 2 of the slowest 120 minutes in football.
• With a lack of playmakers at running back and receiver, Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer had no choice but to lift Tyrod Taylor's redshirt. The sophomore will share snaps with Sean Glennon this week for the Hokies against Furman.
"You've got a chance when he's in the ball game for a big play," Beamer said. "Run or the pass, he presents a threat."
Coach Tom O’Brien said Wednesday that it would have taken a career-ending or long-term injury to Russell Wilson for N.C. State to seriously consider removing freshman quarterback Mike Glennon from the redshirt list.
Staff video by Travis Long, J.P. Giglio, Caulton Tudor
Topic: Is there any hope for the ACC?
N.C. State quarterback Russell Wilson was back at practice Tuesday in a jersey with a red cross designating him for limited duty.
Senior Daniel Evans will start at quarterback for N.C. State against William & Mary, coach Tom O'Brien said Monday.
But Evans won't have tight end Anthony Hill to throw to on Saturday. Hill, a senior, will miss the home-opener with a chest injury adding another important part to the Wolfpack's injured list.
ECU: The oft-ignored Pirates beat the ACC's best team at its own game and have humbled their reeling ACC neighbors. They have consecutive wins over two of the top-five winningest programs of the past 10 years (1, Boise State; 5, Virginia Tech). Given two extra shots — the Conference USA title game and a bowl — Skip Holtz has ECU in line to win 12 games for the first time in school history.
Pregame festivities: Aerial Adventures was supposed to deliver the game ball via skydivers for UNC's opener at Kenan Stadium. The parachute team descended on Duke's Wallace Wade Stadium instead.
Clemson had a similar plan for its offensive line, but the Georgia Dome roof kept the players out.
N.C. State quarterback Russell Wilson was released from the hospital after the team left Columbia on Thursday night and was on his way back to Raleigh on Friday, according to his older brother Harrison.
Wilson had been hospitalized after suffering a Grade 3 concussion during the second quarter of the Wolfpack’s 34-0 loss to South Carolina.
He was released into the custody of his mother, Tammy Wilson.
It’s easy for Wolfpack fans to wallow in the aftermath of Thursday night’s loss. And yes, it was hardly an inspiring performance by the Pack.
