The Wolfpack entered Saturday’s game against No.15 East Carolina with a 1-2 record and as a heavy underdog. But in a charged atmosphere in Carter-Finely Stadium a new attitude was born. Coach Tom O’Brien said it was the first complete game State has played since his arrival.

“This is the first time since I’ve been here we’ve really played 60 minutes of tough hard football,” O’Brien said. “It paid off in the end. But we know it doesn’t get any easier.”

The excitement surrounding the rivalry matchup extended through the ranks of the football team. Freshman TJ Graham said the team had a positive attitude this week at practice.

“We had a belief mentality this week. We got to believe we can do anything,” Graham said. “So we had to believe we could make the catches, and we did.”

The Wolfpack embraced the “belief mentality” entering Saturday’s game, including senior half back Andre Brown. He was seen running down the sidelines getting the team hyped up.

“That’s exactly what it was,” Brown said. “I was telling them you got to believe it. We know we’re good, but we have to get the [newer players] amped and show them what we can do.”

Going into this game as the underdogs, Julian Williams said the team knows what the media says about them but only uses it to build motivation.

“People talking junk, we hear it and let it go,” Williams said. “People are going to talk, and with the ranking the [Pirates] have, it just adds fuel to the fire.”

In the past, having the right attitude and outlook on the game has been tough for the Wolfpack. According to Williams, believing the team can do something has been a struggle in 2008 until this week.

“We’re not a different team, we’re just learning how to play together, believe in each other and it’s really helping out a lot,” Julian Williams said. “[This win] gives us the right momentum.”

Having the strength to push through adversity and having some of the younger players step up is an inspiration to O’Brien. The team has been set back this season with injuries, but they have showed a great deal of promise.

“Give our guys some credit, they have fought through a lot of adversity,” O’Brien said. “They have to fight and they have to keep going, and it’s an inspiration.”

Red shirt sophomore Jarvis Williams said the team knows how to react to changes and respond to injuries.

“We know how to adapt- that’s nothing new to us,” Williams said. “This game is a step forward [for us]. We had lots of confidence.”

The current team moral is very positive according to Brown. They work as a team, win as a team and lose as a team.

“It’s a great team victory, and I’m really happy about that,” Brown said. “All that joy we had on the sidelines and in the end zone, I want to keep experiencing it.”

According to O’Brien,the team had Saturday night to celebrate and then it’s back to work. In order to keep up the victories, Julian Williams said they have to focus on the week ahead.

“We will enjoy this [Saturday night] and work on S. Florida Sunday,” Williams said. “Every game is a bigger game.”