Published Oct 3, 2020
Final: NC State 30, Pittsburgh 29
Matt Carter  •  TheWolfpackCentral
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NC State Wolfpack football is looking to rebound from its first loss of the year, but it faces a challenging assignment at No. 24 Pittsburgh.

Here will be updates throughout the game.

Fans can discuss the contest on the Wolves' Den message board.

What a win for the Wolfpack

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NC State pulls out a 30-29 victory over the Pack thanks to its final-minute touchdown.

The Wolfpack is 2-1 both overall and in the ACC, and will play at Virginia next week.

Leary with a huge drive to give NC State a late lead (3:49 p.m.)

Taking over at its own 21 with 1:38 left, NC State redshirt sophomore quarterback Devin Leary completed 6 of 8 passes for 64 yards and a 13-yard touchdown to senior Emeka Emezie with 23 seconds left.

The two-point conversion failed.

Panthers punch in late TD to take lead (3:39 p.m.)

Pittsburgh executed a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to get a go-ahead touchdown on a one-yard QB sneak from Kenny Pickett with 1:44 left. The two-point conversion failed, however.

Panthers lead 29-24, and NC State will take over without any timeouts at its disposal.

Huge drive from Leary puts Pack back in front (3:21 p.m.)

An offense that struggled much of the second half gets a touchdown drive thanks to the right arm of redshirt sophomore quarterback Devin Leary. He completed 4 of 5 passes for 63 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown to fifth-year senior tight end Cary Angeline, to put NC State back in front 24-23 with 8:16 left in the game.

The drive was extended by a roughing the passer penalty after Leary had thrown an incomplete pass on third and four at the Pitt 34.

Pitt adds a field goal (3:12 p.m.)

Alex Kessman's 42-yard field goal extended Pitt's lead to 23-17 with 10:52 left.

Stats through three quarters (2:51 p.m.)

Pitt retakes the lead (2:44 p.m.)

NC State sophomore corner Cecil Powell was flagged for defensive holding, negating an incomplete pass on third and 16 and what would have been a three-and-out. Then Pittsburgh receiver Taysir Mack did a great job holding onto a 13-yard pass from Kenny Pickett to convert on third and 10.

Two plays after that second long third down conversion, Pickett ran for a 1-yard score to put Pittsburgh up 20-17 with 1:11 left in the third quarter.

Goal line stand preserves Wolfpack lead (2:14 p.m.)

Pitt had first and goal at the NC State 1-yard line, but a pair of runs were stopped at the line of scrimmage, and then quarterback Kenny Pickett had to throw it away on third and goal.

Going for it, Pitt running back Vincent Davis never had a chance and was dropped for a two-yard loss, with redshirt freshman Joshua Harris being credited for the tackle.

Halftime stats (1:44 p.m.)

First half ends with Pitt adding short field goal (1:42 p.m.)

Pittsburgh was able to convert a fourth and four at the NC State 35-yard line when quarterback Kenny Pickett made a nice play to avoid a potential sack by NC State redshirt sophomore linebacker Payton Wilson and then complete a 7-yard pass to DJ Turner.

However, on third and three from the NC State 7-yard line, Pickett could not avoid Wilson and two other Wolfpack defenders and was hit for a four-yard loss. A 29-yard field goal from Alex Kessman made it 17-13 with four seconds left in the half.

The Pack will receive the opening kick after halftime.

Pitt adds field goal after Wolfpack pick six wiped away (1:24 p.m.)

Sophomore safety Jakeen Harris nearly had a pick six for NC State, but his long interception return for a potential score was wiped away by true freshman nickel Joshua Pierre-Louis, starting because of an injury to junior Tyler Baker-Williams, was flagged for a targeting roughing the passer on Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett.

Pitt did not punch in the opportunity for a touchdown, but a 27-yard field goal from Alex Kessman makes it 17-10 NC State with 4:50 left in the first half.

Leary, Pack rolling (12:56 p.m.)

NC State redshirt sophomore quarterback Devin Leary completed all three of his pass attempts on the Pack's third drive for 55 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown strike to junior receiver Emeka Emezie, that put NC State up 17-7 with 12:56 left in the first half.

Leary is 11-of-15 passing for 99 yards thus far in the game.

First quarter stats

Pitt's penalties aid NC State (12:44 p.m.)

A facemask, a pass interference and an offside gave NC State 35 penalty yards on a drive that ended with a 40-yard field goal from junior kicker Christopher Dunn.

NC State takes a 10-7 lead with 1:20 left in the first quarter.

Long, methodical TD drive for NC State (12:23 p.m.)

With redshirt sophomore quarterback Devin Leary starting at quarterback, the Pack answered the quick strike from Pittsburgh with a 17-play drive that ate 7:21 off the clock before Leary found fifth-year senior tight end Cary Angeline on third and goal from the 6-yard line to tie the game with 8:11 left in the first quarter.

NC State has blown coverage/assignment and Pitt scores first (12:06 p.m.)

Someone was supposed to cover Pitt freshman receiver Jordan Addison on the second play of the game, but who it was is unknown. Addison went uncovered and scored on a 75-yard touchdown to put Pitt up 7-0 two plays into the contest.

Unavailable list for NC State (11:37 a.m.)

The following scholarship players were not on the travel/available list for NC State:

Sophomore safety Rakeim Ashford

Junior nickel Tyler Baker-Williams

Freshman offensive lineman Anthon Carter Jr.

Freshman receiver Jalen Coit

Freshman receiver Joshua Crabtree

Redshirt junior defensive lineman Dante Johnson

Redshirt freshman safety Khalid Martin

Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Val Martin

Freshman offensive lineman Patrick Matan

Freshman safety Nehki Meredith

Junior corner Teshaun Smith

Redshirt freshman receiver Christopher Toudle

Freshman tight end Ezmedi Udoh

Freshman defensive lineman Davin Vann

Fifth-year senior tackle Justin Witt

The most notable names are Ashford, Martin and Witt. Ashford and Martin were known injuries from the Virginia Tech loss, but Witt, NC State's starting right tackle, and Baker-Williams, the starting nickel are new.

NC State has moved redshirt junior Max Fisher to safety. Fisher was previously a receiver.