1.) The signs would appear to point to a dismantling of NC State's defense by the Cincinnati offense, and Vegas, which has the Bearcats favored by more than a TD, seems to agree. And let's be honest, the continuation of a disappointment is an NC State staple. You don't get more NC State than that. NC State basketball is #1 in the nation at being bad at stuff and talking about how they should really fix that stuff and then not fixing that stuff.
Pleasant surprises only happen in dreams and pointless non-revenue sports. There is an exception to this rule, though, and that is the one-game hope-raising fool's gold performance. Maybe the coaching staff finds some critical flaws on film that go unnoticed most weeks. Maybe a half dozen guys on the defensive side just play unusually well. It could happen, but only to strengthen the disappointment down the road. In conclusion, I have no idea what is going to happen tonight.
2.) No matter what, it will be nice to reacquaint ourselves with a future Big East partner. Wait, hang on, hang on. I don't think I have that right. Did we go to there or did some of them come to here? Where is Nebraska again? I look forward to discussing this issue each summer for the rest of eternity because that's really gonna help me set this mess straight in my head.
3.) It's attitude and not talent? I realize how pyschologically destructive it is to fail to control the line of scrimmage against a thing called South Alabama--whatever that is--but I don't think their mental state is their biggest issue. I wish I could agree with Cole on this, because attitude can be a quick fix. The talent we have no choice but to wait on.
4.) Assuming the two defenses involved in tonight's affair are roughly equivalently inept, there's a decent chance we'll get a high-scoring, back-and-forth game. And we still need to make up for those Thursday night debacles against South Carolina, so this really has to happen. The edge in any case has to go to Cincinnati because they have the edge in experience at quarterback, and they're probably as talented as we are at the skill positions. Certainly they've got a big advantage at running back.