Jubilation reigned at N.C. State over the weekend after the end of a four-game losing streak, but it had limitations.
In the locker room after a 38-31 win over Maryland at home, backs were slapped and hands shaken. Smiles filled every face. The season still held purpose.
"It's a big difference, especially coming off as many losses as we've had," defensive tackle Leroy Burgess said. "Coming back home and getting a win was a great feeling. Now that we know what that feels like again, we've got to build on it."
And that was about the extent of the team's celebration. No one said they attended a wild party, or stayed up all night. Jeraill McCuller, an offensive tackle, knew before leaving Carter-Finley Stadium that important matters had to be dealt with, almost immediately.
McCuller was not surprised that the reaction was more subdued than emotional.
"You're happy you won, but then you just think back about all those games where you had opportunities to win," McCuller said. "It's kind of bittersweet. And I think that's motivation for the next week.
"We've got Clemson coming in here. We don't got no time to really celebrate. It's right back to the drawing board for what we've got to do to get a victory this coming Saturday."
N.C. State is still alive in its bid to become eligible to play in a bowl game, but still must win its last three games. Clemson is 6-3, and has three of the top players in the ACC at their positions in back C.J. Spiller and defensive ends Ricky Sapp and Da'Quan Bowers.
Coach Tom O'Brien of N.C. State said he was pleased by his team's reaction to ending the losing streak. He told his players after each loss to forget about the game and think of the next one, and they applied that advice after their win. Now O'Brien wants to work on lingering problems -- running the ball more effectively, making tough catches and strengthening a defense hamstrung by injuries.
The secondary projected to start against Clemson will be the eighth lineup in 10 games. Jarvis Byrd, a freshman, will start at boundary cornerback, his first start of the season. His start comes after strong performances against Maryland and Florida State.
C.J. Wilson, a redshirt freshman who started at boundary corner last week, will start at field corner against Clemson. Byrd was to have been redshirted but was forced into action because of the high amount of injuries. He is the seventh freshman to play this season, which O'Brien said is an all-time high in his coaching career.
O'Brien thought that Byrd seemed right at home when called on two weeks ago as a reserve and was not awed at Florida State, and deserved the chance to start after playing well again against Maryland. O'Brien was impressed with the maturity that Byrd showed in tough spots.
"We're still trying to get our best people in the game," O'Brien said. "After evaluations Saturday, they are our two best corners. Jarvis has grown up a lot. Certainly in the off week he showed that he's ready to handle the challenge."
O'Brien welcomed last week's victory for his frustrated players. McCuller said the win was a breath of fresh air that lifted everyone's spirits. O'Brien remains confident that N.C. State can win out and qualify for the postseason.
And on Sunday, he heard one of the best messages of the season.
"The trainer walked in Sunday and said, ‘For the first time I don't have a season-ending injury to report,'" O'Brien said, breaking into a smile. "Maybe we're breaking the streak here."
bcole@wsjournal.com.
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