Final: NC State 33, Syracuse 25
NC State holds on for victory (4:01 p.m.)
Senior tight end Cole Cook recovered Syracuse's onside kick, and then the Pack picked up a couple of first downs, including on fourth and inches via a sneak from redshirt junior quarterback Ryan Finley, to run out the clock.
The Pack defeats Syracuse 33-25 and improves to 4-1 on the season, including 2-0 in the ACC.
Syracuse cuts lead to one possession (3:48 p.m.)
Taking advantage of a 30-yard punt return by sophomore receiver Sean Riley that reached the NC State 33, Syracuse cuts NC State's lead to 33-25 with 4:39 left in the game on a 10-yard pass from junior quarterback Eric Dungey to senior Steve Ishmael. Dungey ran in the two-point conversion.
Wolfpack adds insurance with touchdown (3:24 p.m.)
A methodical drive that began at the NCSU 35 ended with a one-yard touchdown run from junior running back Nyheim Hines to put NC State up 33-17 over Syracuse with 9:52 left in the game.
Hines (18 rushes for 115 yards) has gone over 100 yards rushing for the first time in his career. Overall, NCSU has 232 yards rushing on the game.
Third quarter stats (3:17 p.m.)
Emotions running high while Syracuse adds field goal (3:03 p.m.)
The Orange have added a 38-yard field goal by redshirt sophomore Sterling Hofrichter to cut NC State's lead to 26-17 with 2:34 left in the third quarter.
The players had to be separated on several occasions at the of the drive, with Syracuse being flagged for a personal foul.
Syracuse opens second half with touchdown drive (2:32 p.m.)
Junior quarterback Eric Dungey found senior Steve Ishmael on a back shoulder throw for a 35-yard gain to the NC State 5 on a fourth and two play, setting up Dungey's one-yard plunge into the end zone on third and goal.
Syracuse cuts NC State's lead to 26-14 with 12:00 left in the third quarter.
Halftime stats (2:08 p.m.)
NC State ends the half with missed field goal (2:07 p.m.)
Redshirt junior kicker Carson Wise missed his second attempt kicking into the north end zone, misfiring on a 31-yard field. The wind is blowing towards the south end zone and across the field. Both kickers have struggled on that end, a combined 0 for 2 on field goals and 1 for 2 on extra points in that end zone.
NC State leads 26-7 at halftime.
Defense holds on fourth down, offense rewards them with a TD (1:40 p.m.)
Syracuse had fourth and one at the NC State 17 and elected to go for it, but junior quarterback Eric Dungey was stuffed for no gain. The Pack took over and caught a break when redshirt junior quarterback Ryan Finley's interception was negated by a defensive holding penalty.
Senior H-back Jaylen Samuels ran his patented sweep for a 16-yard touchdown to put NC State up 26-7 with 2:21 left in the first half. NC State has 182 yards rushing thus far in the game.
Wolfpack rushes downfield for score (1:25 p.m.)
Responding to Syracuse's touchdown, NC State rushed five times for 75 yards straight down the field. Junior running back Nyheim Hines had the first four runs for 65 yards, and junior running back Reggie Gallaspy capped the drive with a 10-yard touchdown.
Hines had a 39-yard end round run to get to the 10 but came up limping on the play and has received treatment on the sideline.
Redshirt junior kicker Carson Wise missed the extra point. NC State leads 19-7 with 9:50 left in the first half.
Syracuse gets on the board with a touchdown (1:17 p.m.)
After converting a fourth and eight with a nine-yard pass from junior quarterback Eric Dungey to senior receiver Ervin Philips that reached the NCSU 24, Syracuse went on to score a touchdown on a 10-play, 75-yard drive that was capped by Dungey's seven-yard run into the end zone.
Philips caught all five of Dungey's completions on the drive for a total of 63 yards.
NC State leads 13-7 with 12:12 left in the first half.
First quarter stats (1:12 p.m.)
NCSU extends the lead (1:08 p.m.)
Aided by two Syracuse penalties, NC State scored on a 20-yard touchdown pass from redshirt junior quarterback Ryan Finley to his classmate, receiver Stephen Louis.
NCSU took over at its own 30 after a missed field goal by Syracuse, and the Pack leads 13-0 with 25 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Gruesome injury for Dakwa Nichols (1:07 p.m.)
The career of fifth-year senior running back Dakwa Nichols may be in question after his leg got caught up underneath him due to a tackle by the face mask from Syracuse senior linebacker Parris Bennett.
A leg cast was applied to Nichols, who was carted off the field.
Pack converts interception into long field goal (12:44 p.m.)
On Syracuse's second offensive play, NCSU fifth-year senior corner Johnathan Alston intercepted Syracuse junior quarterback Eric Dungey at the NC State 43. The Pack reached the Orange 24 where the drive stalled.
Redshirt junior kicker Carson Wise then nailed a 48-yard field goal to put the Wolfpack up 6-0 with 4:44 to go in the first quarter.
Long drive nets a field goal (12:35 p.m.)
NC State received the opening kickoff and ate up nearly half the first quarter before settling for a 26-yard field goal from redshirt junior Carson Wise to take a 3-0 lead with 8:01 left in the first.
Senior H-back Jalyen Samuels ran for nine yards on fourth and one at the Syracuse 33 to sustain the drive.
Notable recruits visiting (12:18 p.m.)
Pack and Orange set to kick off at 12:20 p.m. (11:15 a.m.)
It is Military Appreciation Day for NC State. The Wolfpack (3-1, 1-0 ACC) will welcome Syracuse (2-2), which is playing its ACC opener. NCSU has won three in a row in the series and 9 of 10 all-time.
Scouts from the Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills will be watching the game along with bowl reps from the Camping World Bowl and Military Bowl. Today's dress squad is pictured below.
Fans can interact with each other during the game on our premium thread on the Wolves' Den message: click here.
