Whose 1-4 Is the Most Impressive?

N.C. State's junior running back Andre Brown stood in the lobby of the Murphy Center Saturday night, surrounded by a large group of reporters. He looked mentally and physically exhausted. But perhaps even more than that, just plain frustrated.

"It's eating me alive," Brown said. He was talking about his two costly fumbles, which helped contribute to the Wolfpack's 29-10 loss to Louisville. I believe while those fumbles gnawed at him deeply, but it went much further than that.

Brown is a quality running back. Coming out of Greenville Rose, he was touted as one of the best this state has ever produced.

He burst on the season two years ago with that 248-yard effort against Southern Mississippi. This is a back with strength and speed. He can run over and around people.

Yet going on two seasons now, he can't find room to run. State simply can not block for runs. Holes are as hard to find as a $100 bill on the sidewalk.

Sure Brown had 92 yards on 16 carries against Louisville, but 44 of those (you figure the math on the other 48) came on one play in the second quarter that gave State excellent field position at the Louisville 28. The next play, he fumbled. Down 13-0, State was on the move and, just like that, the Wolfpack momentum deflated like a balloon pricked with a pin.

Yes, Andre Brown is frustrated, mad, disappointed — you name it. And he knows it's some of his fault.

Yet he's not alone in the blame game. State's team has become a turnover waiting to happen. No, the Pack can't run the football, and when they do manage to move it through the air, something bad always seems to happen like Harrison Beck's end-zone interception.

I will give them this: they played harder. There seemed to be more effort than there was in the drubbing by Clemson, but when you're a team that runs for fewer than a 100 yards, turns it over five times and then lets a passing team like Louisville run for 247 yards, the hope of winning is like trying to stay alive in a sea of sharks.

That is N.C. State at 1-4.

I thought before the season that State would be better than Carolina, but it looks like I was off on that one. By the looks of it, I was off by some distance.

It's unfortunately come to this in area football. We're talking about who's 1-4 record is the most impressive. Heck, that road warrior Duke's 1-4 is the second most-impressive in the Triangle.

Carolina, playing all those young guys, scared the heck out of 17th-ranked Virginia Tech. The Tar Heels clearly showed improvement after being totally humbled by what is obviously a very good South Florida team. But mistakes like that fumble in the end zone by freshman Ryan Houston will crush your back like a ton of bricks. And promising quarterback T.J. Yates is getting knocked around like a ping-pong ball. Eventually, that will take a toll.

Still UNC out-gained Virginia Tech, and their defense was all over the Hokies. Carolina seems to be getting better. But there is a legitimate question:. Was it Tar Heel improvement or the fact that Virginia Tech just isn't that good? Probably a little of both.

Before the season started, the Hokies were everybody's pick to win the ACC, but they are so offensively challenged. Their defense can play. Those guys will tear your head off and not think twice about it. I would guess, though, the D will have to save them a number of times more before this season is over. Right now, Tech's offense is just trying to not to lose the game.

Hey, a good non-conference win by Florida State over Alabama, and how about Maryland's 34-24 upset of 10th-ranked Rutgers? They won it on the road with their back-up quarterback. Count both the Noles and Terps among the contenders in a certainly crowded, but average, field to win the ACC.

The biggest surprise to me was the fact that Clemson could only muster 3 points at Georgia Tech. A week ago I sat at Carter-Finley and thought the Tigers might be the best team in the ACC. I guess I underestimated State's inept contribution to that.

I can't believe the Jackets held James Davis and C.J. Spiller in check the way they did.

The kicking game that cost Clemson so much last season stung them like an angry bee in Atlanta. Four missed field goals, a blocked punt that set up Tech's only touchdown and a fumbled kickoff return that ended up giving the Jackets three more points. A bad high school team can do better than that.

Well, they love parity in the NFL, and that's what we have in the ACC. Some good competitive teams, but we'll have to wait until basketball for the national stage.

Oh, East Carolina's 37-35 win at Houston was exciting and critical. It keeps ECU in the Conference USA title picture. Listen to a game like that on the radio and you need some pacing space.

Quarterback Rob Kass came out of the doghouse and replaced Patrick Pinkney in the second half and did well, and Chris Johnson is just a good running back. Give him room and he's gone.

But still, the Pirates had to hold their breath as the Cougars missed two make-able field goals in the final two minutes.

How many times do football teams throw their bodies around for almost 60 minutes, fighting their guts out, only to have the only guy with the clean uniform decide it one way or the other?