NC State Faces Texas A&M In The TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
On Monday two coaches who used to oppose one another in the same conference will meet again in the Tax Slayer Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field that is home of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL as Dave Doeren and NC State out of Atlantic Coast Conference take on Texas A&M out of the Southeastern Conference who’s head coach is Jimbo Fisher who was the head coach at Florida State before taking the job at Texas A&M.
NC State finished regular season with a record of 9-3 while Texas A&M finished the regular season with a record of 8-4.
As for NC State’s previous game, they blew out East Carolina their regular season finale.
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
Like NC State, Texas A&M won their regular season finale as they topped LSU.
Kellen Mond's 2-point conversion pass to Kendrick Rogers in the seventh overtime gave Texas A&M a 74-72 victory over No. 8 LSU on Saturday night in a game that tied the NCAA record for most overtimes in an FBS game. “according to https://12thman.com/news/2018/11/25/football-tops-lsu-in-record-tying-7-ots.aspx
Mond connected with Quartney Davis on a 17-yard throw to tie it at 72. Greedy Williams was called for pass interference on the first 2-point conversion try, giving the Aggies (8-4, 5-3, No. 22 CFP), another shot. After a false start by Texas A&M, Mond found Rogers for the conversion to end it. “according to https://12thman.com/news/2018/11/25/football-tops-lsu-in-record-tying-7-ots.aspx
Joe Burrow had a 10-yard TD run to put LSU (9-3, 5-3, No. 7 CFP) up 72-66 in the seventh OT, but his 2-point conversion throw failed.”according to https://12thman.com/news/2018/11/25/football-tops-lsu-in-record-tying-7-ots.aspx
The 74 points LSU allowed are the most ever given up by a ranked team, eclipsing the 73 No. 24 Fresno State gave up to Northern Illinois on Oct. 6, 1990. “according to https://12thman.com/news/2018/11/25/football-tops-lsu-in-record-tying-7-ots.aspx
The 146 combined points are the most in NCAA history in an overtime game involving a ranked team and the game was the first seven overtime game involving a ranked team. “according to https://12thman.com/news/2018/11/25/football-tops-lsu-in-record-tying-7-ots.aspx
Mond threw for 287 yards and six touchdowns, three 2-point conversions and ran for one more TD as Texas A&M snapped a seven-game skid against LSU and got its first win over the Tigers since 1995. “according to https://12thman.com/news/2018/11/25/football-tops-lsu-in-record-tying-7-ots.aspx
LSU coach Ed Orgeron's clothes might have already dried by the time this one ended after he was prematurely doused with Gatorade after the Tigers appeared to have a clinching interception in the fourth quarter. But the play was reviewed and it was ruled that Mond's knee was down before the throw, keeping the Aggies alive and setting up the wild finish. “according to https://12thman.com/news/2018/11/25/football-tops-lsu-in-record-tying-7-ots.aspx
Burrow threw for three touchdowns and ran for three more as the Tigers were denied their first 10-win regular season since 2012 and likely knocked out of contention for a New Year's Day bowl game. “according to https://12thman.com/news/2018/11/25/football-tops-lsu-in-record-tying-7-ots.aspx
Mond threw a 25-yard TD pass to Jace Sternberger and a 2-point conversion to Rogers in sextuple overtime before Burrow had a 4-yard touchdown run and Burrow ran for a 4-yard TD and threw for the 2-point conversion to push it to a seventh OT. “according to https://12thman.com/news/2018/11/25/football-tops-lsu-in-record-tying-7-ots.aspx
Clyde Edwards-Helaire took a pitch from Burrow and launched an 11-yard TD pass to Tory Carter to put the Tigers on top in the fifth overtime, but the 2-point conversion failed. Mond answered with a 6-yard throw to Rogers, but A&M's 2-point try failed, too to send it to the sixth OT. “according to https://12thman.com/news/2018/11/25/football-tops-lsu-in-record-tying-7-ots.aspx
Mond found Davis on a 19-yard touchdown pass on the last play of regulation to send it to OT.”according to https://12thman.com/news/2018/11/25/football-tops-lsu-in-record-tying-7-ots.aspx
Both teams kicked field goals in the fourth overtime to send it to the fifth. “according to https://12thman.com/news/2018/11/25/football-tops-lsu-in-record-tying-7-ots.aspx
Burrow threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Dee Anderson in triple overtime and Justin Jefferson grabbed the 2-point conversion. Rogers made it 49-49 and forced quadruple overtime when he grabbed a 25-yard TD pass and the 2-point conversion. “according to https://12thman.com/news/2018/11/25/football-tops-lsu-in-record-tying-7-ots.aspx
Both teams settled for field goals in the first overtime. Mond had a 3-yard touchdown run in double overtime and LSU sent it to triple OT when Nick Brossette followed with a 3-yard run, too. “according to https://12thman.com/news/2018/11/25/football-tops-lsu-in-record-tying-7-ots.aspx
ABOUT THE WIN
With the 74-72 victory over No. 8 LSU, the Aggies move to 8-4 on the season and 5-3 in SEC play.
This marked the 20th time in program history the Aggies have gone to overtime, and just the sixth time they have gone to multiple overtimes.
The game went to seven overtimes, surpassing the program's previous high, set in the four-overtime game at Kansas State in 2011.
The seven overtimes matched the most overtime periods played in both a SEC game and a FBS game. This is the fifth time a FBS game has gone to seven overtimes.
The combined score of 146 points set a new FBS record for most points scored in a game.
The last time the Aggies knocked off a top-10 team was Oct. 8, 2016 when A&M topped No. 9 Tennessee in overtime, 45-38, at Kyle Field.”according to https://12thman.com/news/2018/11/25/football-tops-lsu-in-record-tying-7-ots.aspx
Kick-off is set for 6:30pm from TIAA Bank Field. The game will be televised on ESPN.