10/16/2021 football Edit

Column: A fun night for NC State

Matt Carter • TheWolfpackCentral

Editor

NC State fans must have felt like they were watching a sports-themed version of an episode of "Stranger Things" on Netflix.

Good things happening to the Wolfpack?

Redshirt sophomore catcher Devin Carter improbably catches a 40-yard touchdown pass on the game’s opening possession in a play sure to make SportsCenter’s top 10 countdown.

NC State Wolfpack football receiver Devin Carter — Redshirt sophomore receiver Devin Carter hauled in this spectacular touchdown catch. (USA Today)

Boston College misses a short field goal after just missing an opportunity to connect with a briefly open receiver in the end zone, a sequence that would have broken a 7-7 tie in the second quarter.

NC State keeping possession at the Boston College 11 with less than a minute remaining on a bang-bang catch and fumble vs. incomplete decision that the ref originally ruled as a drop from senior receiver Emeka Emezie. That led to NC State kicking a field goal as time expired in the first half to take a 10-7 lead into the break.

Boston College’s punter Grant Carlson seemingly just dropping the punt after the Eagles’ opening possession of the second half, and it is scooped up and returned for a touchdown by freshman safety Devan Boykin, who had a big evening in perhaps his most extensive action of the season.

A pass seemingly up for grabs between two NC State receivers and two Boston College defenders is snagged by Pack redshirt junior Thayer Thomas. He then gets a break when the two Eagles defensive backs are suddenly out of position because they are surprised Thomas caught it and now has 60 yards of daylight ahead of him on what was a 79-yard touchdown.

How could all this happen for NC State?

In a single game?

Yes, it was one of those rare nights for the Wolfpack, but good teams also walk through the door when opportunity presents itself. Head coach Dave Doeren’s team didn’t just walk through it, it stormed in so fast that the Eagles were left spinning, especially during a 21-0 third quarter.

After halftime adjustments to account for changes in Boston College’s offense apparently adapted during their bye week, NC State clamped down on the Eagles, forcing them to become one-dimensional in a way they are not built to be in the absence of star quarterback Phil Jurkovec.

BC’s sensational receiver Zay Flowers was held to just two catches for seven yards, despite being targeted a game-high eight times.

The running game that ran for 100 yards in the first half for BC finished the contest with 97 yards. Simple math will tell you that meant they had negative rushing yards after halftime.

This is not a signature win for the Wolfpack.

Boston College is a nice team, but clearly not the same without Jurkovec. Reserve Dennis Grosel can probably help BC win games going forward when its schedule eases up some, similarly to how Bailey Hockman did last year when Pack starter Devin Leary was either injured or coming back from COVID quarantines.

But the Eagles needed a win over NC State after already taking a loss from Clemson. While the Tigers have looked thoroughly unimpressive doing it, they are 3-1 in the conference. NC State is 2-0 and Wake Forest is 4-0. With losses to Clemson and NC State already, it seems hard to find a path to an ACC Atlantic Division title for the BC.

With FSU and Louisville also owning two defeats and Syracuse being 0-3, this is shaping up as a three-team race in the division.

And it is a NC State team Saturday that, yes had a few fortunate plays go its way, but still looked plenty of good enough to be in that picture to represent the Atlantic in the ACC Championship Game.

Next up is a Miami team that finds itself 0-2 in the ACC after a pair of heartbreaking defeats and now faces real questions about the future of its head coach, former Pack assistant Manny Diaz.

Then comes Louisville, 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the conference. The Cardinals are close to being 3-0 in the ACC, but if NC State returns home from Miami with a W, then the Cards are going to be walking into an electric Carter-Finley Stadium.

Next is a date at rebuilding Florida State followed by what could be a huge game at Wake Forest.

That’s even more fun to think about than all the nice things that happened to the Wolfpack Saturday evening.