North Carolina State To Face Furman For The First Time In Thirty Two Years As They Look To Get In The Win Column For The Second Time This Season
After NC State's got into the win column for the first time this season against Marshall in their home opener Dave Doeren's team will be going for their second straight win as they host Furman at Carter Finley Stadium.
You have to go way back to the year 1902 to get to when NC State and Furman first played against one another. NC State will face Furman for the first time in 32 years, even though the Paladins were one of State’s first opponents. After playing two games in a week’s time during the 1902 season, NC State and Furman have met 14 more times, with Furman posting an 8-4-4 advantage. The two teams have played just six times since NC State joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1953. "according to http://www.gopack.com/documents/2017/9/11//NCSU_FurmanNotes.pdf?id=16277
Des Kitchings, NC State’s assistant head coach for offense/recruiting coordinator/running backs coach, etched his name in the Furman record books as a player there in the late 1990s. He was inducted into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009. A standout receiver/specialist, Kitchings helped lead the Paladins to a Southern Conference title as a senior in 1999. He still ranks among the school’s all-time leaders in receptions and returns, averaging 29.3 yards on kickoff returns - a mark which still stands as the second-best in Southern Conference history. He set a school record with four KO returns for touchdowns. A consensus All-Southern Conference player as a receiver and returner, Kitchings earned All-America honors as a return. "according to http://www.gopack.com/documents/2017/9/11//NCSU_FurmanNotes.pdf?id=16277
specialist in 1988 after leading the NCAA I-AA ranks in KOR average. PALADIN COACH, PACK "according to http://www.gopack.com/documents/2017/9/11//NCSU_FurmanNotes.pdf?id=16277
First-year Furman football coach Clay Hendrix was a three-year starter at offensive guard for Paladin head coach Dick Sheridan from 1983-85, then spent two years as a graduate assistant under Sheridan when he became the head coach at NC State in 1986. Hendrix was a starter for Sheridan’s 1984 and ‘85 teams that won back-to-back games at Carter-Finley Stadium, 34-30 in 1984 and 42-20 in 1985. His senior year, the Paladins met Georgia Southern in the Division I-AA championship game. "according to http://www.gopack.com/documents/2017/9/11//NCSU_FurmanNotes.pdf?id=16277
As for NC State's last game, they came from behind to beat Marshall.
There is nothing like getting that first win under your belt as NC State beat Marshall Saturday.
After their season opening loss to South Carolina in Charlotte, last Saturday NC State was able to get in the win column as they returned to Carter Finley Stadium for their home opener making their record 1-1.
NC State scored touchdowns on four straight possessions spanning the second and third quarters and captured a 37-20 win over visiting Marshall in the Wolfpack's 2017 home opener. "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
Down 13-3 in the second quarter, NC State scored five of the game's final six touchdowns. The key stretch came late in the second quarter, as the Wolfpack scored three touchdowns in the final 5:26 of the first half. "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
For the second straight game QB, Ryan Finley threw for over 300 yards (341) and WR Kelvin Harmon had over 100 yards receiving (121). "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
WOLFPACK SPOTLIGHT DRIVE – 1st half
7 plays, 82 yards in 1:21 – Kelvin Harmon 34-yard TD pass from Ryan Finley "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
NC State captured its first lead of the day right before halftime. After receiving the ball on its own 18-yard line, NC state went 82 yards in seven plays culminating with a 34-yard TD pass from Ryan Finley to Kelvin Harmon with 16 seconds left in the half. On the drive, Finley was 3-of-3 for 59 yards while Harmon caught two passes for 50 yards. NC State closed the first half with TD drives on its final three possessions to take a 23-20 halftime lead. "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
WOLFPACK SPOTLIGHT DRIVE – 2nd half
13 plays, 70 yards in 6:56 – Reggie Gallaspy 1-yard TD run "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
Taking the opening kickoff of the half, NC State went 70 yards on 13 plays with its first rushing score of the game. On 4th & goal from the one-yard line, Reggie Gallaspy slipped past a tackle for the TD. "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
STAT LEADERS
QB Ryan Finley
29-of-36 for 341 yards and 3 TDs "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
RB Reggie Gallaspy
12 rushes for 61 yards and 2 TDs "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
WR Kelvin Harmon
9 catches for 121 yards and 1 TD "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
DE Bradley Chubb
7 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 1 sack "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
NOTABLES
Both NC State starting safeties made their first career starts, So. Tim Kidd-Glass and R-Fr. Isaiah Stallings. "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
True freshman Louis Acceus made his NC State debut, playing special teams today on kickoff coverage and kickoff return. "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
Ryan Finley went over 300 yards passing for the second straight game to open the 2017 season. He becomes the first Pack QB to throw for over 300 yards in the first two games of a season since Philip Rivers in 2003. "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
Finley's 46-yard scamper on the Pack's first offensive play was NC State's longest run by a QB since Jacoby Brissett had a 60-yard run at UNC in 2014. "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
For the second straight week, WR Kelvin Harmon went over 100 receiving yards, also setting a new career-best in that category. Harmon had a career-high 121 yards today on nine catches. He is the first Wolfpack WR with back-to-back 100 receiving yard games since Bryan Underwood in 2012, a span of 57 games. Harmon had one 100 receiving yard game as a freshman last year. "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
RB Reggie Gallaspy tied a career-high with two rushing TDs in the game – he also accomplished the feat at South Alabama as a freshman in 2015. "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
FROM THE LOCKER ROOM
"It was a great atmosphere tonight and I really appreciate the way our fans were throughout the game. It meant a lot to our players and recruiting staff to have a stadium like that tonight. It was awesome. I was really proud of the way we played in the second half. We scored the last 27 points and had a second half shut out, we forced two turnovers and didn't turn the ball over at all. Ryan Finley continued to be very efficient and accurate throwing the football." - NC State head coach Dave Doeren "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx
As for Furman's last game, who is a member of the All-Southern Conference, they're coming off a loss to Elon.
Elon's Owen Johnson connected on a 36-yard field goal with five seconds remaining to lift the Phoenix to a 34-31 victory over Furman Saturday afternoon at Paladin Stadium. "according to http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2017-18/releases/20170909p78903
The Paladins (0-2) erased a 21-0 first-quarter deficit and held a 31-24 lead late in the fourth quarter before Tre Lennon hauled in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Davis Cheek with 3:00 to play. After stopping the Paladins on their next possession, Elon (1-1) marched 46 yards on seven plays for Johnson's game-winning kick. "according to http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2017-18/releases/20170909p78903
Cheek completed 26-of-35 pass attempts for 301 yards and three touchdowns, including a pair of scoring tosses to Lennon, who had nine catches for 83 yards in the contest. "according to http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2017-18/releases/20170909p78903
Cheek helped put Phoenix on top 7-0 with a 13-yard strike to Malcolm Summers on the game's first possession and made it 14-0 less than a minute later after Elon's Dondre Howell recovered a fumble at the Furman 24 to set up Cheek's 19-yard strike to Lennon." according to http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2017-18/releases/20170909p78903
Another Paladin fumble at the Furman 23 led to Elon's third touchdown of the first period, a 2-yard plunge by Brelynd Cyphers that extended the advantage to 21-0. "according to http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2017-18/releases/20170909p78903
The Paladins got off the deck in the second quarter with an Antonio Wilcox 8-yard scoring run and Grayson Atkins 25-yard field goal to make it 21-10, and Furman wasted little time in the second half to continue its comeback, marching 65 yards in seven plays for a Darius Morehead 13-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 21-17. "according to http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2017-18/releases/20170909p78903
The Paladins extended their 24-point run on their next possession when Thomas Gordan slipped behind Elon's defense and hauled in a P.J Blazjowski pass for a 77-yard scoring play and a 24-21 advantage. "according to http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2017-18/releases/20170909p78903
After Elon tied the game, Furman scored on its fifth straight possession, using 10 plays to cover 65 yards for a Ridge Gibson 3-yard scoring plunge and 31-24 lead with a minute left in the third quarter. "according to http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2017-18/releases/20170909p78903
The Paladins' bid to put the game away in the fourth quarter fizzled, however, as the ensuing three possessions ended in punts. Elon, meanwhile, tied the game at 31-31 on Cheek's 15-yard connection to Lennon. "according to http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2017-18/releases/20170909p78903
A Devin Wynn 35-yard kickoff return to the Furman 44 with less than three minutes remaining put the Paladins in good shape, but an illegal block penalty led to a punt to the Elon 35 with 1:05 to go. From that point, Elon moved to the Furman 19 for Johnson's game winning kick. "according to http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2017-18/releases/20170909p78903
Cheek completed 26 of 35 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns. He was intercepted once and sacked three times. "according to http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2017-18/releases/20170909p78903
The Phoenix finished the game with a 446-396 advantage in total offense. "according to http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2017-18/releases/20170909p78903
Furman, which totaled just 14 yards in offense in the first quarter, finished with 258 yards rushing and 138 yards passing. Paladin quarterback P.J Blazejowski connected on just 5-of-13 passes but ran for 80 yards on 17 carries. Darius Morehead finished with 13 rushes for 78 yards. "according to http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2017-18/releases/20170909p78903
Kick-off is set for 12:20 pm. The game will be televised on the ACC Network. "according to http://www.gopack.com/news/2017/9/9/football-20-point-second-quarter-leads-wolfpack-to-37-20-win-over-marshall.aspx#