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INSIDE THE GAME

N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien has had a lot better days at Boston College's Alumni Stadium. He was heckled and booed by the BC students and beaten 37-17 by a team he assembled as BC's coach. Few teams can win with seven turnovers and certainly not this State team.

"We stopped ourselves on a lot of drives that we could have capitalized on," Pack receiver Darrell Blackman said. "It's hard, not winning. All we have to do is keep grinding and keep grinding and

it will happen. As long as we keep our heads up and keep practicing and stay focused, it will happen."

GREAT CALL

On a first-and-goal play from the BC 2, Harrison Beck scored on a naked bootleg to the right that was well-designed and badly fooled the Eagles' defense.

TAKE NOTICE

O'Brien coyly sidestepped a question Thursday about lineup changes being made for BC.

In fact, the Pack had three

new starters in the secondary: cornerbacks Jimmie Sutton III and Jeremy Gray, and strong safety Javon Walker.

MATCHUP THAT MATTERED

The Eagles allowed 351 yards passing but State's only TD pass came late in the game and BC had the five picks off Beck. "Familiarity played a huge role," BC linebacker Jolonn Dunbar said, noting the Pack's offensive staff used many of the same routes from their old BC playbook.

GAME BALLS

- Jamaine Clemmons -- The sophomore, a former walk-on who's not on scholarship, was effective at defensive tackle.

- Darrell Blackman -- The senior had six receptions for a career-high 128 yards and handled kicks cleanly.

PENALTY MARKERS

- Harrison Beck -- Sophomore quarterback passed for 321 yards in his first start but had five interceptions and lost a fumble.

- Offensive line -- Did credible job pass-blocking but was not able to budge BC's defensive line and give the tailbacks room to run.

LOOKING AHEAD

Nothing is a given for the Pack this season. State faces Wofford (2-0) this week and will be favored, but has the Pack forgotten how to win? Its nine-game losing streak is the longest since 1959, when Eisenhower was president and Roman Gabriel a sophomore at State.

The Terriers, a Football Championship Subdivision team (aka I-AA), blasted Charleston Southern 52-24 Saturday while intercepting five passes. Wofford, which faces Appalachian State next week, also had a kickoff return for a TD.