By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COLUMBUS - Last Saturday, Ohio State seemed to have an excuse for being listless: It was playing no-name San Diego State, a 32-point underdog using a backup quarterback. The Buckeyes could explain away their narrow victory as simply circumstantial.

Today is different. Red flags are flying.

No. 24 North Carolina State (1-1), though an upset loser to Wake Forest last week, is still considered to have the most talented team in its history. It has a Heisman candidate in quarterback Philip Rivers, who today could surpass 10,000 passing yards for his career. The Wolfpack have been talking since the spring about their upset chances today.

Even more cause for concern is the emotional hangover of Maurice Clarett's season-long suspension. OSU coach Jim Tressel said of his team's reaction, "I think disappointment might right now override closure."

The greatest worry, though, is the game film from last Saturday. It could be hocked as a how-to manual for beating the Buckeyes:

Put eight men in the box to stuff the suddenly susceptible running game. Press the receivers off the line. Mix coverages to confuse QB Craig Krenzel.

Offensively, employ inside screens to duck OSU's veteran defensive line and victimize a young linebacking corps.

"We can be certain that whatever San Diego State did ... you're going to see more of the same," Tressel said.

N.C. State's offense is one that can pass any which way; through two games, N.C. State is averaging three times as many passing yards (418) as OSU (139.5).

"We have to spread them out and run around ... and dictate the pace," Rivers said.

The Wolfpack is expected to be without star tailback T.A. McLendon, who strained a tendon in his knee.

Yet the focus will be on what the third-ranked Buckeyes (2-0) accomplish offensively.

They totaled just 196 yards last week, their lowest total in two years, averaging a woeful 3.4 yards per play. Though Maurice Hall gained 91 yards on 19 carries, running mate Lydell Ross missed most of the game with a foot injury, and a 5-for-20 passing effort wasn't enough to back the Aztecs off the line.

"San Diego State, they came ready to play - they put eight or nine in the box," OSU offensive lineman Adrien Clarke said. "If you only have seven to block - hey, you do the math."

This is an offense that returned every starter except Clarett. So it's clear thus far that the 1,237 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns he totaled last year - in nine games and parts of two others - are missed.

Tressel doesn't want to discourage the tailbacks he has by comparing them to Clarett. But of averaging just 131 rushing yards a game, he was blunt: "We've got a lot of work to do in that area."

There's no plan to change the offense. As Clarke said, "You can't just really rearrange your playbook because you're missing one person."

Besides, this is OSU football: dominating the line of scrimmage, running over people. Of that physical style, N.C. State coach Chuck Amato said, "I'm sure Woody Hayes is just beaming up in heaven at the way Coach Tressel is winning games."

That is, when it works.

"We never got that swagger, that confidence going" last week, Krenzel said. "We feel that game was a fluke. We played awful. We're confident we'll be much better (today)."

TIES THAT BIND: There are numerous ties between players on these teams. Most notably, NCSU defensive back Greg Golden was a high school teammate of OSU's Nate Salley in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and knew Buckeyes star Chris Gamble since pee wee football.

Wolfpack receiver Richard Washington and offensive tackle Derek Morris planned to room together at OSU, but each wound up in Raleigh after earlier committing to the Buckeyes. Washington grew up two houses from OSU's Chris Vance in Fort Myers, Fla., and played against Salley and Golden in high school.

No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 24 N.C. State

Kickoff: 12:07 p.m. today, Ohio Stadium (101,568), Columbus.

Records: OSU 2-0, NCSU 1-1.

TV: Ch. 9, 2.

Radio: WBOB-AM (1160); WPFB-AM (910).

Series: First meeting.

Line: OSU by 9 1/2.

What to watch: If Wolfpack tailback T.A. McLendon can't go, that puts pressure on quarterback Philip Rivers to make things happen without a reliable running game. WR Jerricho Cotchery must find room against CB Chris Gamble and the OSU secondary.

OSU	Team stats	NCSU
270.5	Offense avg.	502.5
131.0	Avg. by rush	84.5
139.5	Avg. by pass	418.0
239.0	Defense avg.	305.0
17.5	Avg. by rush	122.5
221.5	Avg. by pass	182.5
22.0	Avg. points for	41.5
11.0	Avg. pts. against	29.0

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E-mail nschmidt@enquirer.com