NC State dropped to 4-3 (4-3 ACC) with a 44-41 loss to No. 11 Miami Friday night in Carter-Finley Stadium.

Here is the best and worst from the Wolfpack's loss to the Hurricanes:

A number of NC State players played well enough to deserve this had the Pack been able to hold on to a 10-point fourth-quarter lead for the victory.

Miami quarterback D'Eriq King stole the show, however. The Wolfpack entered the contest with a gameplan to force King to throw the deep ball and he more than met the challenge.

King finished the night completing 31 of 41 passes for 430 yards and all five of Miami's touchdowns. He also ran for 105 yards on 15 carries. His performance was arguably one of the best individual performances in the ACC this season.

Redshirt junior quarterback Bailey Hockman's first touchdown of the night wasn't from a pass that he threw.

On NC State's first possession of the night, Wolfpack offensive coordinator Tim Beck called a perfectly timed trick play which involved a give-and-go pass from Hockman and redshirt junior receiver Thayer Thomas.

Thomas found Hockman for a 31-yard connection, which involved sophomore left tackle Ikem "Ickey" Ekwonu delivering a pancake block on Miami safety Bubba Bolden at the Hurricanes' five-yard line to clear the path for the score.

NC State took a 7-0 lead with 12:44 to go in the first quarter, the first of six lead changes.

After Miami scored on its opening drive of the second half to tie the game at 24-24, NC State faced a third-and-six situation from its own 42-yard line. Hockman delivered a slightly underthrown ball to senior receiver Emeka Emezie, but the Wolfpack pass-catcher turned around in time to reel in a 34-yard reception for a first down.

Emezie was smothered by Miami corner Al Blades Jr., but the ball whizzed just over the shoulder of the Hurricanes defender to allow Emezie to make a leaping grab that eventually set up a touchdown four plays later to give the Pack a 31-24 lead.

With the game tied at 7-7 with 7:44 to go in the first quarter, Hockman dropped back in shotgun formation and delivered a zippy strike up the seam to Emezie for a 24-yard gain and first down.

There were many great throws by both Hockman and King throughout the night, but this one was the most eye-opening due to its combination of pinpoint accuracy and a little bit of luck.

The Wolfpack receiver was covered by Miami linebacker Zach McCloud and Bolden attempted to jar the ball loose by closing out on Emezie, but the 6-3, 220-pounder dropped his shoulder after catching Hockman's pass at the Hurricanes 22-yard line and picked up an additional seven yards.

Three plays later, Hockman found redshirt sophomore wide receiver Devin Carter in the end zone to put the Pack ahead 14-7 with 6:31 remaining in the first quarter.

*Honorable mention to King's 20-yard touchdown pass with 13:34 to go in the second quarter in which he found receiver Mike Harley in the back right corner of the end zone with a beautiful moon ball spiral to give Miami its first lead of the night at 21-14.

NC State was down 21-17 with 6:27 to go in the second quarter from its own 30-yard line when junior running back Ricky Person Jr. was able to break outside on a power run to the left for a 40-yard pickup to flip the field.

The run was the longest offensive play of the night for the Wolfpack. It also set up a nine-yard touchdown pass to fifth-year senior tight end Cary Angeline six plays later to put the Pack ahead 24-21 late in the second quarter, a lead it would ultimately hold into halftime.

With 5:26 left in the first quarter, Miami faced a second-and-10 situation from its own 29-yard line and King checked down to Harley who broke free on the sideline.

Sophomore corner Cecil Powell delivered a punishing hit on Harley that sent an audible crack of the pads through the ESPN telecast. Harley was only able to pick up three yards which set up a third-and-long for the Hurricanes. Miami was unable to convert but was bailed out by a roughing the passer penalty on NC State which gave the Hurricanes an automatic first down and led to a game-tying touchdown five plays later.

NC State faced a fourth-and-five situation with a seven-point lead to begin the fourth quarter. The Pack didn't help itself when it picked up a false start penalty on what would have been a 48-yard field goal attempt. The flag pushed the Pack back to the Miami 36-yard line which made redshirt junior Christopher Dunn's field goal attempt a 53-yarder.

The extra yardage didn't matter. Dunn nailed the ball just left of center in between the goalposts on a kick that would have been good from 58. The field goal put the Pack ahead 41-31, its largest lead of the night, with 14:55 remaining in the fourth quarter. The 53-yarder ended up being NC State's last points of the night.

With 1:33 remaining in the second quarter, NC State freshman wide receiver Porter Rooks picked up a first down on third and three which put the Pack at its own 12-yard line with one timeout left.

The Wolfpack had a three-point lead and was content with it heading into halftime. Instead of attempting to take a couple of shots downfield to potentially set up a field goal, the Pack ran the ball three consecutive times without using its timeout to drain the clock out.

Considering the Wolfpack lost by three in a game in which it scored on seven of its 12 possesions, the conservative decision to run the clock out with over 90 seconds remaining, particularly considering Miami was set to receive the ball to begin the second half, proved to be a "what if" moment when the contest was all said and done.

Miami tied the game at 14-14 with 3:13 remaining in the first quarter when King connected with wide receiver Dee Wiggins for a 39-yard touchdown. To make matters worse, NC State fifth-year defensive end Daniel Joseph picked up a roughing the passer penalty for 15 yards which was applied to the ensuing kickoff.

Hurricanes kicker Jose Borregales was able to trick the Wolfpack's receiving unit from the 50-yard line with a surprise onside kick that was recovered by Miami.

The Hurricanes weren't able to turn the bonus possession into points, but NC State was caught sleeping on a short-field kickoff that could have proven costly by giving Miami an early lead.

Leading 41-37 with 2:52 remaining in the fourth quarter, NC State forced Miami into a third-and-seven situation from its own 46-yard line which could have forced a potential make-or-break fourth down for the Hurricanes with a stop.

The Wolfpack rushed six but couldn't get to King before he found Harley 10 yards upfield on a slant route. Harley shedded an attempted tackle from freshman nickel Joshua Pierre-Louis and broke free for a 54-yard touchdown to give Miami a 44-41 lead with just under three minutes to go in the fourth quarter.

It proved to be the game-winning play. NC State turned the ball over on the ensuing possession and the Hurricanes were able to drain the clock to leave Raleigh with a three-point win.

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