Holtz Debut Spoiled By State

September 5, 1999 / 4:07 AM EDT / AP

No. 24 North Carolina State couldn't move the ball and South Carolina couldn't hold onto it Saturday night.

And there was no magic for Lou Holtz in his return to coaching just the harsh reality of the long road back for the Gamecocks.

"It was not nostalgic at all," Holtz said of his 1999 debut at his sixth college.

The 62-year-old former Notre Dame coach watched the Gamecocks fumble six times in the first half of their opener, wasting numerous scoring chances as North Carolina State held on for a 10-0 victory in torrential rain and high wind from Tropical Storm Dennis.

"We didn't beat him, we beat South Carolina," Wolfpack coach Mike O'Cain said when asked about being matched up against Holtz. "It wasn't Mike O'Cain against coach Holtz, it wasn't N.C. State against coach Holtz."

"I didn't think much about it. I wanted to win this game very badly because I wanted to be 2-0. Not a lot of people thought we would be 2-0 at this point. That's exciting."

The Wolfpack (2-0) recorded its first shutout since 1991, winning the game with just six first downs and 96 yards of offense.

"That just shows you right there that statistics don't win ball games," Wolfpack offensive lineman Todd Boyle said. "It has a lot to do with coming up with big plays at big times."

N.C. State was clinging to a 3-0 lead when its special teams came through again. Koren Robinson returned a blocked punt by Brian Williams 3 yards for a game-clinching score with 14:06 left as the Gamecocks extended their school-record losing streak to 11.

N.C. State blocked three punts last week in its 23-20 upset of Texas, scoring two TDs and a safety.

"I like the makeup of this team, the character," O'Cain said. "They don't seem to get too emotional."

The blocked punt was one of a host of mistakes for the Gamecocks and likely had Holtz wondering why he returned to coaching after two restless seasons off the sideline.

Still, Holtz's defense proved tough on this rainy night, limiting Jamie Barnette to a career-low 18 yards passing as the Wolfpack couldn't muster much offense. And the nation's fourth-winningest active coach was still in the game late, rushing onto the field with under four minutes left to protest a clipping penalty that nullified a big gain.

After trailing 3-0 at halftime, South Carolina moved to the N.C. State 11 to open the second half, but Derek Watson coughed up the Gamecocks' seventh fumble of the night. It was Watson's 46-yard run that had set up South Carolina in scoring position.

That miscue seemed to end any chance of South Carolina pulling off the upset.

Holtz found out quickly why the Gamecocks were 1-10 a season ago, turning the ball over on their first four possessions. Phil Petty, starting his first game at quarterback, fumbled twice and had a pass intercepted as both teams had difficulties with the slopy field and wet ball.

South Carolina's other fumble occurred on an attempted 39-yard field goal.

Petty's second fumble late in the first quarter at the Wolfpack 10 led to Kent Passingham's 22-yard field goal the first of his career.

While the Gamecocks couldn't hold onto the ball, the Wolfpack couldn't move it. N.C. State didn't pick up its initial first down until there was two minutes left in the opening half and finished the first two quarters with a meager 48 yards.

The Gamecocks ended up losing three of their six first-half fumbles and had a 14-yard TD run by Boo Williams called back because of holding. South Carolina ended up turning the ball over on downs in that drive.

"I hate that we ever have to play a football game in these conditions," O'Cain said.

More from CBS News