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RALEIGH (AP) — With just one field goal and six quarterback sacks to show for the offense, Tom O'Brien is putting emphasis on points and protection for North Carolina State.

O'Brien, who lost his third straight season opener at N.C. State in a 7-3 defeat against South Carolina, said the Wolfpack did not protect quarterback Russell Wilson the way O'Brien wanted. Nor did it move the ball effectively.

"We have to protect the quarterback better and we have to have a better performance up front," O'Brien said.

The Wolfpack (0-1) allowed six quarterback sacks.

Murray State (1-0) will not have the same athletic ability and depth that South Carolina threw at the Wolfpack so that should help N.C. State work out some of the deficiencies from its first outing.

"We have to bounce back," Wolfpack offensive tackle Jeraill McCuller said. "I didn't have the best outing but it's something you have to learn from. I think we had a great plan going into the game but if all 11 players aren't on the same page then the play will fail.

"We had too many plays where we had 10 guys doing the right thing and one player doing it wrong," McCuller said.

The Wolfpack defense made a strong showing. It surrendered an early touchdown after the offense fumbled away the ball over deep in its own end. N.C. State linebacker Alan Michael Cash said he was especially happy with how the Wolfpack played the run.

"We're a good run-stopping team," Cash said. "If teams think they can come in here and run then we're going to stop them."

That defense might have had even more to be pleased with had it not recorded 21 missed tackles.

"There are no excuses for that many missed tackles," Cash said.

Saturday's game against Murray State will be the first meeting between the two schools. Cash said getting ready for the next game is the best way to get over losing to South Carolina.

"We still have 11 games left in the season and we just have to focus on Murray State," Cash said. "We're going to have to be a team that will bounce back and one that will be more focused."