NC State had a dominant start against Boston College on Saturday — maybe too easy.
NC State built an efficient 14-0 lead and then the wheels came off. Boston College took advantage of what will be a much-debated pass interference penalty called on Drake Thomas, to punch in a touchdown to win 21-20 on Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium.
The Wolfpack fell to 7-3 on the season, while the Eagles improved to 3-7, and the 16-game home winning streak at Carter-Finley Stadium was snapped.
“I’m pretty down for these kids,” NCSU coach Dave Doeren said. “[We] obviously didn’t play well enough to win; didn’t coach well enough to win. Always, put that on me.”
Many elements of the game led to the drama at the end, but the play that will be most remembered is when BC was facing fourth down and six, redshirt freshman quarterback Emmett Morehead threw the ball to freshman Joe Griffin, and Thomas was called for a pass interference penalty. It gave the Eagles a first down at the two-yard line and new-found chance to win. Morehead found Griffin on the next play for a two-yard touchdown with 14 seconds left.
“I thought Drake made a fantastic play,” Doeren said. “I’m disappointed that a flag was thrown on a play like that. It was a bang-bang play to win the game. I don’t know how you throw that flag. It was a really disappointing call by that official.”
NC State redshirt junior outside linebacker Payton Wilson was also upset about the pass interference penalty against Thomas and suffering a home loss.
“College football is hard, and it’s hard to win,” said Wilson, who had six tackles, three tackles for loss and an interception. “Whether you are playing the best team in the nation or a team not supposed to be the best, everybody has talent and everybody makes plays.
“If you don’t show up, you’ll go out there and get your tail whupped, just like we did.”
The Wolfpack should have never been in that spot, especially after dominating the first quarter. NCSU rushed 10 times for 116 yards and had eight plays of at least 10 yards. Freshman quarterback MJ Morris found redshirt junior H-back Trent Pennix for a 27-yard touchdown pass, and then Morris later ran in from 10 yards out for a score. It proved to be the last touchdowns of the game for the Wolfpack.
The best chance at scoring proved to be frustrating. NC State went for it on fourth and one at the BC one-yard line with a little under seven minutes in the second quarter. It proved reminiscent of a similar scenario against East Carolina in the season opener.
Morris had an empty backfield and did a direct run, only to get stuffed for a one-yard loss. NC State also lost sixth-year senior center Grant Gibson for the game due to injury. A touchdown would have given NCSU a 21-7 lead, and on the next series the Wolfpack’s Christopher Dunn made a 30-yard field goal.
Dunn later added his second field goal of the game to stretch the lead to 20-7 with 11:11 left in the third quarter, which set an ACC record with 89 career field goals.
BC star senior receiver Zav Flowers gave the Eagles life with a 35-yard touchdown reception to make it 20-14 with 7:13 left in the third quarter.
What proved remarkable that somehow Boston College remained within striking distance despite all the issues its own offense suffered through. The Eagles rushed 23 times for minus-one yard, was sacked five times, had 12 quarterback hurries and committed 12 penalties.
Morehead finished with 330 passing yards and three touchdowns, plus two interceptions. His favorite target Flowers had seven receptions for 130 yards and two scores.
NC State in the second half also had some abysmal offensive numbers themselves. NC State rushed 22 times for 61 yards and threw for 11 yards after halftime. The Wolfpack fumbled three times and threw an interception. NC State finished 2 of 12 on third-down conversions, which Doeren called the biggest thing.
Nothing about the Wolfpack’s offense resembled the smoothness of the first quarter.
“Turning the ball over three times in the second half changed the game in their favor,” Doeren said.
Morris hadn’t played like a true freshman in the second half against Virginia Tech and the Wake Forest win last Saturday. He did against Boston College and finished going 12-of-24 passing for 135 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He rushed 13 times for 22 yards and a score, but also fumbled three times.
Morris said he told the older players how he “loved them.” He has a lot of football ahead of him and knows he’ll need to respond in his next game.
“They were just disciplined and they were just playing hard,” Morris said. “We didn’t play to our full ability. We were playing really fast and then we slowed down a bit.
“They got some momentum and just ran away a bit.”
NC State travels to Louisville at 3:30 p.m. next Saturday. Emotionally recovering from a Senior Day loss could prove difficult, but it has been a resilient group.
“I hate for these seniors and a great group of young me,” Doeren said. “We didn’t get it done. Give Boston College some credit.
“They are incredible people. They are going to have very successful lives because the people that they are, not just the players, but they are incredible people.”
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