We on a winning streak, dudes.

Despite my best attempts at pessimism, I suspected the game would at least be close since ECU is not any good (94th in total O, 103rd in total D), regardless of what their record or Trev Alberts might try to tell you. (Note: I am assuming Trev said something along these lines, as I was at a bar and couldn't actually hear Trev, which was a tremendous disappointment.)

But, like, jumping up 21-0? After little more than a quarter of play? Did not compute. Do I...what do I do here...high five? fist pump?...that's what people do when their football team has more points than the other football team, isn't it? I imagine there was smoke escaping out of my ears as my brain ground to a halt while trying to come to terms with what was going on. So wait a minute--we forced a turnover, and blocked a kick, and took immediate advantage of both? Where am-- what day is it?

It didn't take long for things to shift abruptly, as they always seem to do. At halftime, I kept thinking about this: "The kids are playing their tail off and the coaches are screwing it up!"

But, whatever, it worked out in the end.

Other items:

-- There were a couple of guys at the bar sporting a Wolfpack hat/Red Sox shirt combo; I thought, they're in for a really bad day. Oops on both counts. But it's a good oops.

-- I told my dad, who is in Atlanta this weekend, that he has to stay down there for the rest of the season since his venue change obviously gave the Pack the edge it needed to beat a I-A team. I don't like him much anyway, so it's win-win.

-- So many moments to savor... DeMario Pressley sacking Kass with a forearm (not pictured: him demanding Kass's lunch money directly afterward). Kass donking a pass off his center's noggin, the ball landing in Pressley's waiting arms (some good fortune, finally). An exquisite touch pass to Jamelle Eugene running a perfect wheel route.

-- Daniel Evans:

               Yds/Att
Prior to Sat     5.6
vs. ECU          7.6

-- This is done and gone, bookended in fitting fashion.

-- Why don't you cry about it?

"The conference asked us to fly to UTEP and then come back and play this game and that's what we have to do," Holtz said. "I'm certainly not using that as a crutch, but I would've loved to have some time to get the players' legs underneath them but we didn't have that. We just have to line up and play."

I'm not using that as a crutch, so I'm bringing it up because...? I'm sure he didn't see a need to mention the turnaround from Morgantown to Houston after the Pirates beat the Cougars.