After being picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic Division in the preseason in 2010, the Wolfpack finished with a record of 9–4 and tied for second in the ACC, was one game away from playing for an ACC title and was the third league team picked in the bowl selections. O'Brien's squad was the first Wolfpack team to garner nine wins since 2003 posted State's first winning season in five years. With the Champs Sports Bowl victory over West Virginia, the 2010 squad tied the second highest win total in school history while finishing 9–4.