NC State scored twice within 26 seconds in the final 1:35 to pull off an improbable 34-30 win over rival North Carolina in front of 56,919 fans at Carter-Finley Stadium on Friday.
The No. 20-ranked Wolfpack had a terrific first quarter, but then went into an offensive lull, particularly running the football in the second half. NC State performed some magic when it mattered most, and improved to 9-3 overall and 6-2 in the ACC.
Wake Forest dashed NC State’s Atlantic Division hopes with a win over Boston College on Saturday. However, NCSU was able to go undefeated at home for the first time since 1986. The Wolfpack went 5-0-1 at home that season.
The Wolfpack Central reviews the various components of the win over the Tar Heels.
Most important play
One could easily go with senior wide receiver Emeka Emezie’s second touchdown catch, but the simple truth is that without kicker Christopher Dunn recovering his own onside kick, NC State most likely loses the game. Dunn kicked the ball forward and UNC appeared to try and catch it before it reached the necessarily 10 yards, which the Tar Heels are able to do. NC State can’t touch the ball in that spot until it goes 10 yards. North Carolina didn’t come close to snagging the ball and there was the 5-foot-8 Dunn recovering the kick. The rest is history and NC State won 34-30.
Three game balls
1. Wide receiver Emeka Emezie
The senior wide receiver came through in the comeback for the ages. He was bottled up 58 minutes and 25 seconds, but he caught two passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns when it mattered most. The first score was a 64-yard touchdown with 1:35 left to cut UNC’s lead to 30-28. He took advantage of UNC safety Cam’Ron Kelly getting sucked up on the play. He then was a magician near the out of bounds line in the end zone in grabbing a 24-yard score against Kelly with 1:09 left to give the Wolfpack a 34-30 lead. He finished with five catches for 112 yards and two scores in his last NC State home game.
2. Quarterback Devin Leary
Leary’s final stats look pretty impressive after the final 1:35 of the game. He went 19-of-30 passing for 247 yards and four touchdowns, and passed Philip Rivers for the most touchdown passes in a season at NC State with 35 (also rushed for two scores). Leary was harassed at various moments and rushed eight times for minus-30 yards and was sacked six times. UNC proved aggressive with its blitzes and the NC State running game stalled in the second half.
3. Defensive end Daniel Joseph
The Penn State transfer played his butt off, leading the team with 10 tackles (four solo), 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two quarterback hurries. Joseph’s sack and strip of UNC quarterback Sam Howell was one of the signature plays of the game, and even had coach Dave Doeren lament how it was bad luck that the left tackle that gave up the sack was in position to recover the fumble due to being beaten so badly.
Key statistic advantage
The statistics were pretty even right down the middle except for UNC commanding a large lead in rushing yards (more on that in a bit). The other differences came on special teams with NC State blocking a punt for a touchdown, and then recovering the onside kick.
The other subtle statistical situation is that UNC went 5-for-5 in the red zone, but two of those scores were chip-shot field goals. Going 3 of 5 on getting touchdowns proved huge. North Carolina was facing second down and four at the NC State 5-yard line, and settled for a 22-yard field goal to make it 14-3 Wolfpack with 14:06 left in the second quarter. UNC later was first and goal at the NCSU four-yard line and threw three incomplete passes. The Tar Heels settled for a 21-yard field goal with 7:04 left in the game and a 27-21 lead.
What NC State did well
Execute in the clutch with its backs against the wall. It’s one thing to get the onside kick, but then to execute with poise and not try and play for a field goal was impressive. As Doeren said after the game, he wanted to roll with Leary’s hot hand. Emezie’s 24-yard touchdown catch happened with 1:09 left, which would have given North Carolina plenty of time to get into field-goal range if the Wolfpack had played for three instead of six (and tried for eight).
What needs improvement
NC State’s rush defense struggled in the second half against the read-option plays North Carolina ran. Part of that might have been due to NC State playing without nickel Tyler Baker-Williams and free safety Devan Boykin, who were both out due to either injury or illness. UNC rushed 41 times for 297 yards and two touchdowns, a 7.2 yards per carry average.
In recent history, the team that runs the ball best in the rivalry usually wins. What proved surprising was who topped 100 yards for the Tar Heels. Former walk-on British Brooks from Gastonia, N.C., had 99 rushing yards in two games going into the contest. He tallied 15 carries for 124 yards and proved to be a spark. Howell’s toughness running the ball was well known, but he took some licks in rushing 18 times for 98 yards and two touchdowns.
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