The Pack’s season has been one of lopsided losses, unfulfilled expectations, injuries and, most recently, a win against rival Carolina, which has seemed to cancel all of it out. State’s 28-27 win over the Heels Saturday gave the Pack its third consecutive win over its rival and gave the coaches, the fan base, the team and especially this year’s seniors a great finish to the season.
Coach Tom O’Brien affirms this season was one plagued with unforeseen circumstances, but believes this weekend’s victory has reinforced belief in the team and the program, and is excited the seniors’ final game in Carter-Finley was a victory.
“[This win] was great for the kids, and especially the seniors,” O’Brien said. “We are all happy for them. It has been one of my toughest years as a head coach with everything that has happened to us. The team could have folded but we continued to play hard and remain tough and physical.”
Late-game heroics by redshirt senior defensive tackle Alan-Michael Cash and senior safety Clem Johnson helped to seal the Pack’s victory. Cash’s blocking of a 38-yard field goal attempt by Tarheel kicker Casey Barth and Johnson’s interception of quarterback T.J. Yates helped to preserve the one-point win for the Pack.
Offensively, the Pack was paced by redshirt sophomore quarterback Russell Wilson, who was very sharp going 20-27 with four touchdown passes, giving him 31 on the year. Junior wide receiver Owen Spencer caught four passes totaling 130, while ending the season as the nation’s leader in yards-per-catch with 24.42.
Johnson attests to how this win over UNC was even more important than ever, particularly because it’s his last year.
“The UNC game is big no matter what,” Johnson said. “It’s been a down year for us, but we were motivated to beat them.”
One of the main motivations to win this game was offensive coordinator Dana Bible’s recent diagnosis of leukemia. Upon the team’s victory, Wilson threw the game ball into the stands in celebration, but realized soon after that the ball was to be given to Bible in commemoration of his contributions to the team.
“As soon as I let it go, I realized I should have kept it for coach Bible,” Wilson said. “It was my best throw of the day. Whoever caught it should feel special.”
The Pack may not be bowl-bound, but winning the upper hand in this longtime rivalry has won it bragging rights and a sense of accomplishment that is unmatchable. O’Brien is nowhere near distraught about not qualifying for a bowl game, though. His reaction is quite the opposite, resulting in a feeling of relief rather than disappointment.
“Thank God it’s over,” O’Brien said. “I mean, I don’t think we could go play in a bowl game if we had to.”
Even though the Wolfpack is not bowl-bound after a season riddled with afflictions, it showed the 57,583 fans in attendance that it was not going quietly, giving the 17 seniors an excellent way to end their time at State.
“[This victory] means a tremendous amount to this program,” O’Brien said. “[People are] going to ask how their senior year was, and they’re going to say, ‘We beat Carolina.’ And that’ll sum up their year.”
