RALEIGH, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Tropical Storm Dennis and North Carolina State's punt-blocking exploits overshadowed the South Carolina coaching debut of Lou Holtz.

Safety Brian Williams blocked Courtney Leavitt's punt and wide receiver Koren Robinson returned it three yards for a score with 14:06 remaining as the Wolfpack beat the Gamecocks, 10-0, in game played in a torrential downpour.

North Carolina State (2-0) managed just 96 yards of total offense but once again came up with a huge special teams play. In last weekend's victory over Texas, the Wolfpack blocked three punts that directly led to 14 points.

It was an inauspicious start for South Carolina (0-1) under Holtz, who previously coached at Arkansas, Minnesota and Notre Dame and is trying to turn around a program coming off a school-worst 1-10 record last season.

"It's disappointing but it's a start and I was very proud our team played as hard as they did," Holtz said. "Right up to the last second we thought we could win it."

The Gamecocks had two golden opportunties to score but self-destructed. They moved to the N.C. State 14 in the second quarter but a holding penalty killed the drive. In the third quarter, South Carolinaa reached the Wolfpack 32 before Phil Petty threw consecutive incompletions.

Petty completed 4-of-10 passes for 70 yards and was intercepted once. Derek Watson carried 15 times for 118 yards for the Gamecocks, who totaled 232 yards of offense.

For N.C. State, Jamie Barnette was 3-of-7 for 18 yards and Ray Robinson had 71 yards on 15 carries. The Wolfpack's offense was able to produce three points, courtesy of Kent Passingham's 22-yard field goal in the opening moments of the second quarter.

Former North Carolina State wide receiver Torry Holt, a current member of the St. Louis Rams, had his jersey retired at halftime. The Rams took Holt with the sixth overall pick in April's NFL draft.