NC State senior wide receiver Emeka Emezie caught two touchdown passes in the final 1:35 and the Wolfpack recovered a crucial onside kick to keep their ACC title hopes alive.
NC State improved to 9-3 overall and 6-2 in the ACC, overcoming a nine-point deficit in the final 2:12, to win 34-30 over rivals North Carolina in front of 56,919 at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Emezie was one of numerous players who created memories for a lifetime in a game that will get dissected over the next 365 days. The most important moment was defeating UNC period, because a loss would have dashed any title hopes. NC State will be rooting for Boston College to top Wake Forest today.
“It honestly doesn’t feel real,” Emezie said. “I don’t know why they left me wide open [on the first score], but we’ll take a touchdown every day.”
Memories were floating around all over the field on Senior Day. NC State hasn’t gone undefeated at Carter-Finley stadium in 35 years. The Wolfpack won nine games in a season, with a chance at 10 or 11, depending on how Wake Forest performs.
“There were some emotional seniors down in that locker room, with Emeka being one of them,” NC State coach Dave Doeren said. “It is good karma, man, just good karma. Things happen to good people and he’s one of the young men that is special. I’m very happy for him and the team.”
Quarterback Devin Leary threw for 247 yards and four touchdowns and overcame being sacked six times. He moved into first place with 35 touchdowns, topping Philip Rivers’ 34 touchdowns tossed in 2003.
“[Offensive coordinator] Tim [Beck] asked me if I wanted to run the ball a little bit,” Doeren said. “I said, ‘No, Devin is hot. Let’s just go and score.’ I didn’t want to put it on the kicker and risk whatever could happen there.”
Leary said his teammates looked to him and said, “Let’s go win this thing,” following the recovery of the onside kick.
“As soon as we recovered the kick, I knew we were going to score,” Leary said. “We were going to get into the end zone, some how, some way. Football kind of works out that way sometimes. I’m glad it was in our favor.”
The Wolfpack defense, battered and bruised, had six starters injured, and an injury replacement, also was out. NC State surprisingly played without starting nickel Tyler Baker-Williams and free safety Devan Boykin.
“You know what? I’d like to play against someone without seven defensive starters,” Doeren said. “We don’t have much of a rotation anymore. It’s a luxury.”
Penn State graduate transfer Daniel Joseph finished with 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
Even the fans wanted to create memories, rushing the field after the victory.
“We had the flu run through this team this week and guys that didn’t practice all week,” Doeren said. “I want to thank our crowd and our students coming back from Thanksgiving. I love you. Our students are just amazing.”
NC State had to overcome an unexpected bruising North Carolina ground game, particularly in the second half. Senior running back British Brooks walked-on to North Carolina and eventually got a scholarship. He entered the game having played just two games this season. He rushed for 89 yards and two touchdowns against Wofford last year, and had 99 yards and three scores on 11 carries in his two previous showings.
Brooks came out impressive and ripped off 15 carries for 124 yards and had a 40-yard gain. Couple that with quarterback Sam Howell recording 18 carries for 98 yards and two scores, the Tar Heels crushed NC State in rushing yards. The Tar Heels finished with 41 carries for 297 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Conversely, the Wolfpack had 14 carries for 21 yards in the second half.
“He [Howell] played very hard and is a great football player,” Doeren said. “He’ll have a great career [in the NFL].”
Like with any good comeback story, NC State needed some help from North Carolina, who showed once again how they can play with nearly anybody, but still end up 6-6 overall.
The prime example was UNC’s inability to recover the onside kick at the NCSU 46-yard line with 1:33 left. Kicker Christopher Dunn kicked it straight ahead and then recovered it. Couple that with NC State starting the game with running back Jordan Houston getting a blocked punt that led to wide receiver C.J. Riley recovering it for the first touchdown of the game, and special teams were a mixed bag for the Tar Heels.
“I thought our special teams were fantastic today,” Doeren said.
In other situations, the Wolfpack made their own luck. The defense forced three incomplete passes after the Tar Heels reached the four-yard line. Grayson Atkins kicked a 21-yard field goal that made the score 27-21 with 7:44 left, and that altered the fourth quarter.
Atkins also made a 22-yard field goal in the second quarter after the Tar Heels stalled at the NCSU three-yard line.
“When they got to the four-yard line, we wanted to make them earn it,” NCSU senior nose tackle Cory Durden said. “Them getting a three instead of a touchdown, equals us winning.”
Doeren and the team has a lot to reflect, but he doesn’t want to think too much about the ACC title game and Pittsburgh just yet.
“Maybe ask me that again at my press conference,” Doeren said. “I’m pretty tired. That was a hell of a football game right there.”
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