RALEIGH -- In three seasons under coach Tom O'Brien, N.C. State has yet to win a season opener.
The Wolfpack fell at home to Central Florida in O'Brien's 2007 debut and dropped Thursday night games to South Carolina to open the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
"Losing the opener is rough," Wolfpack senior offensive tackle Jake Vermiglio said. "It's been rough every year. We've got to win the first game, bottom line."
This season, things get a bit easier for the Wolfpack in its opener. For the first time under O'Brien, N.C. State opens with a Football Championship Subdivision opponent, as Western Carolina visits Carter-Finley Stadium at 6 p.m. today.
The Catamounts are in their third season under coach Dennis Wagner. They finished 2-9 last season but did gave FCS power Appalachian State a scare in the season finale before falling, 19-14.
"We have much more depth," Wagner said. "We feel good about the depth of our football team. ... For the most part, we're a more experienced football team. Even though we're young, we're more experienced."
Even though Western Carolina gives fewer scholarships and is a heavy underdog, O'Brien said N.C. State's players and fans are excited about the opener.
"I think a lot of people are looking forward to coming and seeing [linebacker] Nate Irving go back on the field for the first time after missing a full year," O'Brien said. "I know they're excited about [quarterback] Russell Wilson coming back from baseball, want to see what his progress is. Certainly I guess all the questions about the running backs, everybody wants to see that."
Internally, N.C. State's team also is looking to prove something this season after going 5-7 in 2009 and missing the bowl season. O'Brien has said that with the help of Irving's leadership, his team has displayed a heightened sense of team unity in the preseason.
That attitude will be tested by an opponent for the first time today as the Wolfpack attempts to finally break through in an opener under O'Brien.
"All of us are in our fourth year under this coaching staff," said senior wide receiver Jarvis Williams. "There's a better camaraderie. Everybody knows what they've got to do on the field to make each and every one of us better."
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N.C. State is 0-3 in season openers under coach Tom O'Brien:
| Year | Score |
| 2007 | Cent. Fla. 25, NCSU 22 |
| 2008 | South Car. 34, NCSU 0 |
| 2009 | South Car. 7, NCSU 3 |
