Liveblog! NC State @ USM -- First Half

[6:52PM] Hello and welcome! We have video... The USM radio guys are talking to Bower a bit about his special teams, and it looks like we're ready for the national anthem.

[6:58PM] USM radio guy's keys: stop the run and establish the run.

[7:01PM] Captains are on the field for the coin toss. USM is sportin' the all-black.

[7:03PM] Southern Miss wins the coin toss and defers to the second half. NC State is in all-white.

[7:06PM] Blackman gets it out to the 23, and we're underway. I'm stuck with the USM radio guys since the Wolfpack radio feed is ahead of the webcast (not surprisingly).

[7:08PM] Two plays, two runs. Third down.

[7:09PM] One for one on third down! Stone makes a nice throw to get the first down, then goes deep on the subsequent play. Solid start so far. Good coverage by USM on the deep throw.

[7:11PM] Sigh. There's an "I surrender" play on third down. Deraney to punt.

[7:12PM] Punt return coming back. USM radio guys say it's a "terrible call." And it looks like it is a bad call...

[7:14PM] First down is a play-action pass, overthrown deep. Good play call. Second down--nada. Screen was not there. Third down pass is complete, and the spot looks a wee bit short.

[7:15PM] Or not. First down USM.

[7:17PM] Pass interference on both sides. The USM radio guys are already busting out the sarcasm: "should be pass interference, but don't bet on anything..."

[7:19PM] Another Golden Eagle first down. I'm enjoying the USM radio guys now. That last offsetting PI call was "unbelievable."

[7:21PM] Terrible effort from the defense so far. No pass rush, and the running hasn't been too hard either.

[7:22PM] Missed tackle and it's another first down. I am not pleased. Now the Eagles are inside the 25...it's too easy.

[7:25PM] Finally a stop for the defense. The Pack did a good job staying home on the reverse. The field goal is good, and USM leads 3-0. 5:25 left in the first quarter.

[7:27PM] Okay, offense. Let's go forward, you know, get yards and what have you. Defense needs rest after that six minute USM drive.

[7:29PM] Third and short. A nice stretch by Andre Brown gets the first down...whew. Leroy Harris is injured. Crap.

[7:33PM] Another third down, another timid play call, another punt. No fumble on the play.

[7:35PM] Well...we managed to eat four minutes off the clock. A three-and-out from USM would be really, really helpful here.

[7:38PM] Is it time to panic yet? No signs of stopping their running game yet. As SMQ mentioned in the Q&A, the running game is extremely important to USM's chances.

[7:40PM] USM radio guys say team is confident it can hit a big passing play. Still no pass rush from Pack's DL. Easy pitch-and-catch.

[7:41PM] Finally! A TFL! Need a stop here.

[7:43PM] Chuck Amato calls timeout to decide how to best screw up this fourth down play.

[7:45PM] According to sideline guy, the team was going to run a play if State was in a certain formation, otherwise try to draw the Pack offside. State was in that formation, evidently, as USM went and, naturally, got the first down.

[7:46PM] "Oh, what a terrible spot!" You're wrong on this one, guy. "Don't bet on it," says my man after the third-down sneak, referring to the first-down spot.

[7:48PM] Touchdown Eagles, and boy was it easy. Someone should tell the Pack that the game has started.

[7:51PM] Eleven minutes left in the half, team down ten points. Don't know if I can stand sixty minutes of this.

[7:53PM] Stone promptly spoils field position by getting sacked. This USM color guy is great. Snide remarks about officiating left and right.

[7:56PM] Touchdown Wolfpack!!! And the webcast cameraman completely missed it, so I have no []ing clue what happened. If I wanted to miss the action, I'd have saved my money. Sheesh. Anyway, that. Is. Huge. Nice throw by Marcus...er, maybe.

[7:58PM] Great. Just great. Forty-nine yard kickoff return plus 15-yard facemask puts the ball at State's 31.

[8:01PM] The defense makes a great play on second down, but half the play was the running back's. He thought he could reverse field but only ended up losing about ten more yards. Field goal is short. NC State ball.

[8:04PM] That was an ugly series, but at least Stone got the fumble back. USM color guy says our WRs are serious "crybabies."

Awful punt by Deraney. 5:28 left.

[8:05PM] Timeout USM. Color guy: "Jes uh bunch uh crahbabies, these Wolfpack. Pass the whiskey." He didn't actually say that, but I'm convinced it's a matter of time.

[8:07PM] Eagles inside the 20. Wide receiver was way too open.

[8:10PM] Okay, good stop. I can live with the field goal...

[8:12PM] Twelve first downs for USM, 191 yards. Three for State and 62 yards.

[8:15PM] Make that four first downs. Good run by Toney brings up third and inches. Timeout NC State.

[8:17PM] Color guy hasn't dissed the officials in a while, so that's a disappointment.

[8:18PM] OMG! Play action and it worked!

[8:20PM] First down...hurry up time!

[8:22PM] Color guy: Wolfpack offensive line doing a good job, whether it's "legally or illegally." Thanks, man.

[8:24PM] Dammit...Dunlap would have gotten the ball into field goal range had he caught that. Actually, we'll try it anyway. And it is GOOD! John freakin' Deraney!

[8:27PM] Haltime, 13-10 Eagles. Eh [shrugs shoulders]...could be worse. That's always the best way to think about it. It could be worse. I'm gonna start a new thread for the second half.