WINSTON-SALEM — NC State controlled its destiny in the ACC’s Atlantic Division going into Saturday, but will now need serious help.
Wake Forest took advantage of three NC State turnovers, 14 Wolfpack penalties and some timely third-down conversions to win 45-42 in the ACC showdown. The No. 12-ranked Demon Deacons improved to 9-1 overall and 6-0 in the ACC, while the No. 16-ranked Wolfpack fell to 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the ACC.
NCSU hosts Syracuse next Saturday, and closes out the regular season against North Carolina. Wake Forest has back-to-back road games at Clemson and at Boston College, and just need one win.
"We just have to finish strong and we have two more games," NCSU middle linebacker Drake Thomas said. "They are big games and conference games."
The frustration was evident with the NC State coaches and players following the loss.
“We just weren’t good enough tonight in certain areas,” NCSU coach Dave Doeren said. “Our kids fought hard and gave us a chance at the end, went down and scored and had the onside kick. I didn’t get a good enough view of it. If they had ruled it our ball, we probably would have kept it. It sounded like it wasn’t a conclusive enough deal there at the end.”
Wake Forest running back Justice Ellison caught a four-yard touchdown catch with 10:05 left in the game, and then ran for a four-yard score with 1:47 remaining to cap the back-breaking drives for the NC State defense. The latter score was set up by a crucial pass interference penalty on third down and 13 at the NCSU 48-yard line, that helped sum up the frustrations for the Wolfpack.
WFU quarterback Sam Hartman took a deep shot down the field to wide receiver A.T. Perry, and reserve cornerback Chris Ingram was called for the penalty.
Doeren lamented the pass interference and holding penalties in the secondary. His frustration over the situation was obvious after the game.
“Our corners didn’t make any plays,” Doeren said. “We either PI’d them or had a ball completed against us multiple times. We just didn’t make any plays at corner on that drive. We tried to play coverage and we tried to blitz. We had 14 penalties and I don’t know how many of them were PI or holding in the secondary, and there was a lot of them that were.
“We need to play the ball better and play with poise. If they throw a deep ball, we have to turn our eyes and our head, and play the football like we are coached. We didn’t do that.”
Stopping Wake Forest on third down proved difficult all night for the NCSU defense. The Demon Deacons went 10-of-19 on third-down conversions, plus converted one fourth-down attempt. NC State conversely went 3 of 14 on third downs.
“Really the story of the night was we couldn’t get off the field on third and long,” Doeren said. “That hurt us and our third down offense hurt us. Those two things accumulated throughout the game.
“We can’t give up 45 points and win.”
NC State had an inordinate amount of “beat up” players, and that took the toll on the defense against Wake Forest. NC State defensive end Savion Jackson was another starter who couldn’t play against WFU.
Cornerback Shyheim Battle was ejected during the second half due to targeting, leading Ingram to play as a result.
“We are held together by some duct tape at some spots right now,” Doeren said. “We got some kids playing with a lot of bumps and bruises. As you know, our depth chart on defense has been decimated. Savion is now out too. We are really down some players. It has taken its toll on us. We just don’t have the rotation.”
The NCSU secondary had three interceptions against Hartman, including a terrific one by cornerback Derrek Pitts off a deflection in the end zone by Tanner Ingle.
NC State did benefit by an electrifying pair of kick returns by running back Zonovan Knight, including a 100-yard return to start the third quarter that gave NC State a 27-24 lead. Knight also had a 72-yard kick return that set up Emeka Emezie’s 28-yard touchdown with 1:47 left in the second quarter. The kick returns helped offset kicker Christopher Dunn missing a 33-yard field-goal attempt.
Leary finished throwing 37-fo-59 passing for 408 yards and four touchdowns, plus the two interceptions. Emezie paced the Wolfpack with 10 catches for 133 yards and two scores, and fellow wide receiver Devin Carter added seven grabs for 132 yards and two scores.
"I don't think we were making our layups or executing well," Leary said. "The penalties hurt us and not letting us get on rhythm a little bit. We just have to make better plays and win the one-on-one matchups."
The passing game had to carry the offense, with the backs getting 18 carries for 74 yards for a 4.1-yard average.
“It just took us too long to get going,” Doeren said. “In the first half, we didn’t get enough points on the board.
“We got behind and that attributed to it [59 passing attempts]. They had some injuries at corner and we felt like we could run by them, which we were.
“It was really more taking advantage of what we were getting matchup-wise with Emeka on a backup corner."
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