NC State Came Back To Top North Carolina 34-30 In Raleigh On Friday Night
NC State came back to top North Carolina 34-30 in North Carolina’s state capital on Friday night.
How?
Down 30-21 late in the fourth quarter, QB Devin Leary found WR Emeka Emezie for two TD passes (64 and 24 yards) in the final 1:35 to complete the comeback over North Carolina, 34-30.
NC State (9-3, 6-2 ACC) completes the season undefeated at Carter-Finley Stadium – winning 10 straight dating back to last season. This marks the first season NC State has gone undefeated at Carter-Finley Stadium for the first time since 1986.
Devin Leary finished 19-of-30 for 247 yards and four TD passes. On the season, Leary now has 35 TD passes on the season which is a new school record (Philip Rivers – 34 in 2003). PK Christopher Dunn kicked four extra points, and is now NC State's all-time leader in PATs (Niklas Sade – 167).
After forcing a UNC three-and-out to open the game, RB Jordan Houston came around the edge and blocked the Tar Heels punt, and WR C.J. Riley fell on the ball in the end zone to give the Pack a quick 7-0 lead just 1:23 into the game.
The Pack's offense doubled the lead to 14-0 late in the first quarter, when Leary found TE Trent Pennix from 9-yards out to cap a 7-play, 64 yard drive.
On the second play of the second quarter, UNC got on the scoreboard with a 22-yard FG.
The Tar Heels made it 10 straight points with a 6-play, 64 yard drive capped with a 4-yard TD run with 2:02 left in the first half.
The Pack held a 14-10 halftime lead.
UNC took the lead early in the third quarter, as QB Sam Howell scored from 12 yards out on a 3rd-and-10. The Tar Heels scored another TD in the third quarter and stretched the lead to 24-14 midway through.
The Pack stopped UNC's string of 24 straight points with a TD late in the third quarter. On 3rd-and-9, Leary found Thayer Thomas for a 26-yard catch-and-run to make the score 24-21 going into the fourth quarter.
The Tar Heel's tacked on a 22-yard field goal to take a 27-21 lead with 7:44 to play. UNC's 50-yard field goal with 2:12 to play iced the game for the Tar Heels.
The Pack went 56 yards in only two plays, as Leary found Emezie for 64 yards down the sideline to cut the lead to 30-28 with 1:35 to play.
Dunn then recovered his own onside kick and gave the Pack the ball at the 46-yard line.
The game-winning drive went 54 yards in only three plays and was capped with Emezie scoring the final TD from 24 yards out with just 24 seconds left to play.
STAT LEADERS
• QB Devin Leary
19-of-30 for 247 yards, 4 TDs
• RB Zonovan Knight
9 rushes for 69 yards
• WR Emeka Emezie
5 catches for 112 yards, 2 TDs
• DE Daniel Joseph
10 tackles, 1.5 sacks
NOTABLES
• NC State finishes the season undefeated at Carter-Finley Stadium this season, the first time undefeated at home since 1986. Dating back to last season, the Pack has won 10 straight at home.
• NC State has now blocked a punt for a TD in back-to-back seasons. Last year, Max Fisher scored off of a blocked punt against Duke.
• LB Vi Jones also blocked a punt, his was in the second quarter. It was Jones' fourth career blocked kick in his Pack two-year NC State career, a mark that sits sixth-best in school history for most in a career.
• NC State went over 100 yards rushing for a team for the first time in five games, the last was at Miami.