N.C. State

Defeated Western Carolina 48-7

What worked: Although coach Tom O'Brien said quarterback Russell Wilson still needs work, N.C. State's passing game was effective against the Catamounts. Wilson passed for 306 yards and four touchdowns, and wide receiver T.J. Graham posted career highs with six catches, 96 yards and two scores.

What didn't work: N.C. State's running game produced a modest 3.6 yards per carry against a defense the Wolfpack should have been able to push around. And early in the game, Western Carolina was able to run the ball right up the middle with success.

What's next: N.C. State visits Central Florida at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The Golden Knights defeated South Dakota 38-7 in their opener and return 17 starters from a team that went 8-5 last season. The veteran linebacking trio of Derrick Hallman, Chance Henderson and Lawrence Young leads the UCF defense.

Duke

Defeated Elon 41-27

What worked: Sean Renfree's first career start at quarterback resulted in a 31-for-39, 350-yard passing game, numbers that wide receiver Conner Vernon called "unreal." The Devils added 192 yards rushing to balance the offensive attack as Duke ran off 84 plays to Elon's 63 and had the ball for 36 minutes.

What didn't work: With Duke leading 27-13 at the half, coach David Cutcliffe wanted the Blue Devils to put the Phoenix away in the third quarter. Instead, Cutcliffe said his team was "a little flat" and "stopped ourselves." Elon pulled within 27-20 early in the fourth period before Duke scored twice for a 41-20 lead.

What's next: It's an early ACC opener as the Blue Devils go to Wake Forest Saturday. Last season, it was the last game, and Wake won 45-34 at Wade Stadium as Duke closed with four straight losses to finish 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the ACC. After a solid win against Elon, an FCS team, the Blue Devils will get a better test of their running game. Renfree's second start should be more challenging than the first.

Chip Alexander

Wake Forest

Defeated Presbyterian 51-13

What worked: The Deacons got back to their roots Thursday night by focusing on the ground game, gaining more than 400 yards rushing. They got big runs from Devon Brown and Josh Adams, an encouraging sign for coach Jim Grobe. The Deacons also got solid quarterback play from Ted Stachitas and Tanner Price, but it only muddled the question of which will be the guy this season.

What didn't work: Wake Forest was sloppy in its opener, which is fairly predicable in a season opener. There were some special teams issues, some missed assignments, difficulty picking up the blitz, etc. The Deacons gave up a long touchdown pass on a gadget play, a breakdown for sure, but give the Blue Hose credit for pulling off a sweet trick play.

What's next: The Deacons host Duke Saturday in a game that will tell much more about Wake Forest than the opener did. Grobe has already said he intends to use at least two quarterbacks in the game but how he divides the snaps hasn't been decided. Price, the true freshman, has captured the imagination of many people already.

Ron Green Jr.

South Carolina

Defeated Southern Mississippi 41-13

What worked: The Gamecocks' offense clicked all night in their season opener Thursday, with freshman running back Marcus Lattimore gaining 54 yards on 14 carries despite not playing much late in the game. South Carolina showed plenty on offense otherwise, possibly finding a game breaker in freshman receiver Ace Sanders and sophomore Alshon Jeffery catching seven passes for 106 yards. Quarterback Stephen Garcia was solid (throwing for 193 yards without an interception) and showed toughness in a 22-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

What didn't work: South Carolina's deep pass coverage showed signs of vulnerability, with Golden Eagles quarterback Austin Davis throwing for 238 yards, including completions of 55 and 29 yards.

What's next: In only the second game of the season, the Gamecocks have a must-win against Georgia on Saturday in Columbia. In a season in which the Bulldogs, Tennessee and Florida might not be as formidable as usual, South Carolina needs this one to establish themselves early in the SEC East. David Scott

Clemson

Defeated North Texas 35-10

What worked: The Tigers showed they have some offensive explosiveness. They had a 60-yard touchdown run by Andre Ellington and a 70-yard Kyle Parker touchdown pass plus the several strong kick returns by Marcus Gilchrist. The Tigers have plenty of speed, now it's a matter of polishing everything.

What didn't work: The Clemson defense had trouble stopping the North Texas offense, a potentially troubling sign for the Tigers. Clemson knew the Mean Green was going to work running back Lance Dunbar but had trouble containing him. Part of it was purposely sticking with a basic scheme, something the Tigers will likely do again this week.

What's next: The Tigers host Presbyterian next Saturday which should give coach Dabo Swinney the opportunity to work on a variety of things. There's no way the Blue Hose have the depth, size nor talent to push the Tigers so the emphasis for Clemson will be on staying healthy, ironing out some wrinkles and getting ready to go to Auburn the next week. Ron Green Jr.