NC State Wolfpack football stumbled at Miami Saturday evening, falling 31-30.

It’s time for a final look at the contest with some Monday-morning quarterbacking:

There are countless moments that can change the outcome of a 1-point game, but the bottom line was NC State had a chance, twice, to take a late lead and didn't execute.

The first came when it took over at its own 44 with 3:46 left, trailing 31-30. On first down, redshirt sophomore quarterback Devin Leary overthrew freshman receiver Anthony Smith on a deep pass down the left sideline.

On second and 10, redshirt sophomore receiver Devin Carter dropped a crossing route that looked destined for a first-down gain. NC State then dialed up a screen pass to junior running back Ricky Person Jr., but that was well defended and gained just two yards.

The Pack elected to go for it on fourth and eight, and redshirt junior receiver Thayer Thomas made the catch six yards downfield but was immediately tackled two yards shy of the first down.

Miami gained possession at its own 48 with 2:49 left, and the Pack had two timeouts. It used both of them after stopping Miami for no gain on first down and then dropping quarterback Tyler Van Dyke for a six-yard loss. Facing third and 16, Van Dyke was able to find an open tight end Will Mallory for a 21-yard pass completion.

Without any timeouts, NC State could only watch as Miami went into victory formation.

1. Fake punt: If NC State had won the game, fans would be looking back at the fake punt as a pivotal moment. On fourth and seven from the NC State 34, redshirt sophomore H-back Trent Pennix took a direct snap and sprinted for a 40-yard gain to the Miami 26. Two plays later the Pack was in the end zone for a 27-24 lead with 14:45 left.

2. Battling back: The start was inauspicious for NC State, which fell behind 14-3 in the second quarter. Yet it managed to take a 17-14 lead at halftime. When Miami regained the lead at 24-20 in the third quarter, NC State once again retook the advantage after the fake punt.

And when a 40-yard field goal from junior kicker Christopher Dunn cut the Miami lead down to 31-30 with 5:39 to go, the Pack was able to get a quick three-and-out on defense to set up the final sequence.

3. Stopping the run: When you remove sacks, Miami ran for 110 yards and averaged just 3.2 yards per carry. That number was skewed by a single 28-yard rush from Miami freshman running back Jaylan Knighton. Remove that from the equation, and the other 33 carries generated just 82 yards.

1. Executing at a high level: There's no need to single out an individual player or individual plays. The bottom line is that NC State had a series of self-inflicted wounds between costly penalties, dropped passes, errant throws and missed assignments that added up to the one-point loss.

2. Running the football: Playing opposite a defense that has been vulnerable against the run vs. Power Five teams this year, NC State's 123 yards rushing after taking out Miami's one sack basically came on three carries: Pennix's 40-yard fake punt, a nice 23-yard effort from Person and Leary's 17-yard QB draw for a score.

The other 20 runs generated a total of 43 yards.

3. Defending the pass: Van Dyke talked a big game during the week and backed it up. He completed 25 of 33 passes for 325 yards and four touchdowns without an interception, generating an impressive QB rating of 198.5.

Oklahoma transfer receiver Charleston Rambo, in particular, proved to be a tough cover, making nine receptions for 127 yards and two scores. Knighton also torched the Pack out of the backfield with six catches for 83 yards and a score, including a 53-yard touchdown on fourth and one.

NC State’s offensive line vs. Miami's defensive front

NC State actually did a decent job in pass protection. Leary for the most part had time to throw and was sacked only once, but the inability to generate running lanes was a big factor in this game. Miami gets the win here.

Miami’s offensive line vs. NC State’s defensive front

NC State finished with four sacks, and as noted above did a good job against the run. Despite losing redshirt junior linebacker Isaiah Moore to an injury in the first half, NC State held up well here.

NC State’s wide receivers vs. Miami’s secondary

Miami's defensive backs were not stopping NC State's receivers. The misfires in the passing game were more due to dropped passes or throws that were off the mark than the Hurricanes' defense. Those incompletions were there for nice gains.

Miami's wide receivers vs. NC State’s secondary

Miami won the battle here, and it could have been worse. The Hurricanes took several deep shots to receivers who looked open but could not complete the pass.

Quarterbacks

Leary was good enough. He completed 24 of 42 passes for 310 yards and two scores and also ran for a touchdown, but the night belonged to Van Dyke who showcased his immense upside in this game.

Running backs

For the second straight game, sophomore running back Zonovan Knight, a crucial playmaker for the Wolfpack offense, could not generate much. He had eight carries for just 16 yards. Meanwhile, Person was more effective with nine runs for 54 yards.

Both were overshadowed by Knighton, who had 166 all-purpose yards (83 rushing and 83 passing) and a score.

Tight ends/fullbacks

Mallory quietly played a big role in Miami's win. He caught a touchdown and then made the third-down reception to end the game.

For NC State, redshirt freshman Chris Toudle had a 20-yard gain on the one time the Pack targeted the the tight end in the passing game, and Pennix had the huge play on the fake punt.

Special teams

This was a draw in a good way. Both teams received good special teams performances in general, although each had a costly penalty defending a field goal that resulted in second opportunities that generated points.

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