NC State Routes East Carolina In Regular Season Finale
NC State closed out the regular season in dominating fashion with their win over East Carolina in North Carolina’s state capital on Saturday.
NC State scored on its first four possessions and jumped out to a 24-0 lead early in the second quarter, as the Wolfpack closed out the 2018 regular season with a 58-3 home win over East Carolina. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
The margin of victory for the Pack (9-3) was the most since a 65-7 win over Murray State in 2009. On the day, NC State outgained ECU 655-104, including a 234-31 rushing advantage.”according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
NC State scored on all three of its possessions in the first quarter. The Pack started with a 23-yard Christopher Dunn field goal. Then Ryan Finley found Kelvin Harmon from 14 yards and, and Reggie Gallaspy, Jr., rushed one in from 11 yards out to take a 17-0 after the opening quarter. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
In the first quarter, NC State had 224 yards of total offense, including 157 through the air. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
Finley found Jakobi Meyers from 24-yards out to start the second quarter, and Dunn's 28-yard field goal closed the half with NC State up 24-0. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
The Pack tacked on another pair of TDs in the third quarter – Finley to Thayer Thomas for 3 yards, and Gallaspy from four yards out – to take a 41-0 lead. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
Dunn kicked his third field goal of the game in the fourth. The Pack also got rushing scores from center Garrett Bradbury (1 yard) and back-up QB Woody Cornwell (11 yards) in the fourth. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
The Pirates avoided the shutout with a 46-yard field goal as time expired. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
WOLFPACK SPOTLIGHT DRIVE
9 plays, 80 yards in 3:22 – Ryan Finley to Kelvin Harmon 14-yd TD pass “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
With a 3-0 lead, NC State scored its first touchdown of the game towards the end of the first quarter after a 9-play, 80-yard drive. Ryan Finley found Kelvin Harmon on third down from 14 yards out for the score, Harmon's seventh TD of the season “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
STAT LEADERS
• QB Ryan Finley
32-of-44 for 409 yards, 3 TDs
• RB Reggie Gallaspy, Jr.
24 rushes for 220 yards, 2 TDs
• WR Jakobi Meyers
13 catches for 163 yards, 1 TD
“according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
NOTABLES
• NC State's 655 yards of total offense are the second-most in a game in NC State history (664 vs. Miami in 2012). “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
• With 13 receptions today, WR Jakobi Meyers now has 89 on the season, the most in a single-season in NC State school history. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
• With 163 receiving yards today, 140 in the first half, Jakobi Meyers becomes the second NC State player this season to eclipse 1,000 yards receiving (Kelvin Harmon). It marks the first time in school history, and only the fourth in ACC history, a pair of teammates both went over 1,000 receiving yards in the same season. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
• RB Reggie Gallaspy, Jr., had the fourth-longest rush in school history (86 yards) and the fourth-most rushing yards in a single game (220). Gallaspy also went over 1,000 yards for the season, the third straight season NC State has had a 1,000-yard rusher (Matthew Days and Nyheim Hines). “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
• QB Ryan Finley eclipsed 300 yards passing, with 329 in the first half alone. It was the eighth game this season over 300 yards, the second-most in a single season in school history (Philip Rivers – 9 in 2003). Finley also has 18 such games for his career, second behind Rivers' 19. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
• For the second straight season, NC State has a 3,000-yard passer (Finley), 1,000-yard rusher (Gallaspy) and 1,000-yard receiver (Harmon and Meyers). “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
• Punter A.J. Cole III and long snapper Tyler Griffiths both started their 51st games of the careers, tying QB Philip Rivers record for career starts at NC State. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
• Center Garrett Bradbury was the first offensive lineman to score a TD in a game since Derek Green recovered a fumble in the end zone at Florida State in 2001. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
• The win was the largest margin of victory for NC State in the ECU series. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/1/football-wolfpack-barrels-past-east-carolina-58-3.aspx
NC State will learn their bowl destination on Sunday.