Amato, Wolfpack looking ahead after disappointing loss

RALEIGH, N.C. - Though fans of North Carolina and North Carolina State have been replaying the rivals&#39; game since late Saturday night, Wolfpack coach Chuck Amato was in no mood to join the debate Monday.<br> <br> ``We can&#39;t look back,&#39;&#39; Amato said. ``If the good Lord wanted us to see where we came from, our eyes would be in the back of our head. Our eyes are in the front of our head. We see where we are going.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Amato wants his team focused not on T.A. McLendon&#39;s yes-it-was, no-it-wasn&#39;t touchdown on the next to last play of a 30-24 loss in Chapel Hill, but rather in this week&#39;s game against Maryland - a team N.C. State hasn&#39;t beaten in five years.<br> <br> The Wolfpack (3-2, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) have lost four straight games to the Terrapins, all by seven points or less. Last year Maryland rallied from 14 points down to win 26-24, spoiling the final home game of quarterback Philip Rivers.<br> <br> Amato, in his fifth season, has yet to beat Maryland.<br> <br> And the crushing loss to North Carolina adds another wrinkle. Though Amato called the defeat ``yesterday&#39;s story,&#39;&#39; the question remains whether his players will be as capable of moving beyond the what-ifs.<br> <br> The Wolfpack piled up a season-best 577 total yards, but committed three turnovers. The last came on the game&#39;s final play, when McLendon fumbled at the goal line.<br> <br> That was one play after McLendon&#39;s disputed scoring run. The back appeared to score a tough 3-yard touchdown with 14 seconds left, with one referee signaling the score and an apparent tie, pending the extra point. But after huddling, the officials spotted the ball at the 1-yard line.<br> <br> After the game, referee Jim Knight said line judge Rick Page saw McLendon&#39;s knee hit the ground before the ball reached the end zone. Replays were inconclusive, and McLendon insisted he had scored.<br> <br> Amato said regrouping after the loss to the Tar Heels should be no different from what his team went through in rebounding last year after tough losses to Ohio State and Florida State.<br> <br> ``It&#39;s an attitude,&#39;&#39; Amato said. ``Life goes on. No matter what happened to any of us yesterday, good or bad, we can&#39;t change it. ... So why worry about it?&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Free safety Troy Graham said once the team was done watching the film of the North Carolina game on Monday, the Wolfpack would be done thinking about the contest.<br> <br> ``Once we watch film on it, it shouldn&#39;t be discussed again,&#39;&#39; he said.<br> <br> The Wolfpack is getting used to close finishes in ACC play, having already beaten Virginia Tech and Wake Forest on the final play.<br> <br> This time, the feeling just isn&#39;t as good heading into the following week.<br> <br> ``That&#39;s football,&#39;&#39; quarterback Jay Davis said. ``It was a tough loss, but this team has a bunch of fighters on it and we&#39;ll be ready to fight on Saturday again.&#39;&#39;