Duke managed three touchdowns while NC State was forced to kick field goals Saturday, and that proved the difference.
The Blue Devils defense was impressive from start-to-finish in a 29-19 victory over the Wolfpack, to dash NCSU’s Senior Day festivities. NC State fell to 5-5 overall and 2-4 ACC, and play at Georgia Tech on Nov. 21. Duke improved to 7-3 overall and 3-3 in the ACC during coach Manny Diaz’s first year on the sidelines.
Duke proved to be the aggressor early by getting a safety with 12:10 left in the first quarter.
“I think the game came down to us kicking field goals and them scoring a couple more touchdowns than us,” NC State coach Dave Doeren said. “We gave them a short field with a turnover in the red zone, which really hurt. Defensively, we played good enough in that game for us to win, and we just didn't connect, offensively enough.
“We got outplayed in that area of the field, and there's nothing magic about it.”
Duke junior kicker Todd Pelino bombed a 50-yard field goal, and senior wide receiver Jordan Moore went up and made a 45-yard touchdown catch with NCSU senior cornerback Aydan White draped over him.
The early 12-0 lead with 3:45 left in the first quarter put the Wolfpack on its heals.
NC State recovered and kept driving and driving down the field, but settled for field goals. Redshirt sophomore kicker Kanoah Vinesett, who missed last week with an injury, made four straight field goals, all under 37 yards. His 25-yard field goal tied the game 12-12 with 8:57 left in the third quarter, and the game was up for grabs.
Neither team could run the football, so it came down to Duke redshirt sophomore quarterback Maalik Murphy or NC State freshman quarterback Cedrick Bailey to make some big plays, and most important not have some killer turnovers in a close, defensive-minded contest.
Duke seized momentum with a 20-yard pass to Moore, and then a 22-yard bubble screen to redshirt freshman Que’Sean Brown, and the Blue Devils were in business. Murphy got his first rushing touchdown of the year from three yards out and Duke regained a 19-12 lead with 4:37 left in the third quarter.
Part of Duke’s red zone success came with blitzing. It helped force NC State into a 36-yard field goal with 1:05 left in the third quarter, and Vinesett surprisingly missed.
“It [Duke blitzes] was sending more than we could block when we got down there,” Bailey said.
The door was open for Duke, and they eventually took advantage. Bailey’s pass to sophomore wide receiver Kevin Concepcion goes off his hands, and to the waiting hands of junior safety Terry Moore, a converted running back. Moore returned it 24 yards to the NCSU 20-yard line, 21 seconds into the fourth quarter.
Murphy found redshirt junior wide receiver Sahmir Hagans on a nine-yard touchdown with 13:58 left, and not settling for a field goal proved major. Duke took a commanding 26-12 lead and then withstood NC State’s attempt at a rally.
Bailey threw a 16-yard touchdown on a remarkable catch in-bounds by junior wide receiver Wesley Grimes to make it 26-19 with 9:01 left in the contest. NC State could muster another threat and Pelino shut the door with a 49-yard field goal with 2:06 remaining to make it 29-19.
Bailey finished 16-of-39 passing for 184 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He was off on some throws, and hurried on others. His stats were also affected by some uncharacteristic drops, besides what happened on his interception.
“He threw some good balls that were dropped,” Doeren said. “He threw behind a couple guys. He threw high to a couple guys, and we got to make some play calls in certain situations to help.”
Bailey used a basketball analogy saying that the offense needed to “hit their layups.”
“I could have played way better, but it's just that finishing point again, we couldn't finish in the red zone,” Bailey said. “We had those chances and we missed a lot of shots. I missed a lot of shots, a lot of throws that I wish I could have back.”
NC State learned in the first quarter that the rushing success against Stanford last week wasn’t going to be the same against Duke. The Wolfpack rushed 29 times for 84 yards, and Bailey’s 36 yards led the squad. Former Duke running back Jordan Waters had 11 carries for 25 yards, and redshirt freshman Daylan Smothers was held to five carries for 13 yards and one catch for four years.
Duke never gave up a play longer than 26 yards.
Murphy finished going 22-of-31 passing for 245 yards and two touchdowns, but he didn’t throw an interception and was sacked just once.
Duke’s lone turnover came when NC State redshirt freshman nickel Tamarcus Cooley stripped senior wide receiver Eli Pancol, which potentially saved at least three points that Duke could have gotten. He then ran 70 yards, which set up Vinesett’s third field goal with a second left in the half. Cooley knows he could have gotten a touchdown on the play.
“I really feel like I let my teammates down — faster than that,” Cooley said. “I just feel like I gave up on that play when knowing I was supposed to score.”
Duke overcame going 0 of 9 on third-down conversions, with the lone drive extended on third down due to one of eight NC State penalties. Duke wasn’t much better with seven penalties of their own, giving the Wolfpack extra opportunities.
NC State heeds one more win to become bowl eligible with at Georgia Tech on Nov. 21 on a Thursday night, and at North Carolina in the rivalry game to close out the season after Thanksgiving.
“Collectively, it's not good enough, and it's a we, us, and ours business, and there isn't any blame other than everybody,” Doeren said. “It starts with me. Disappointing more than anything just for our seniors.”
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