NC State Football
Big Plays Doom Pack In 35-28 Loss
CHARLOTTE, NC -- NC State fought to the end but its 64th pass attempt came up short.
South Carolina knocked off NC State 35-28 at Bank of America Stadium in the season opener for both schools.
Ryan Finley finished 45-for-64 for 415 yards and two touchdowns. It was not quite enough.
South Carolina got off to a flying start. After the Gamecocks won the toss, Deebo Samuels took the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown and NC State trailed only 13 seconds into the contest.
The Wolfpack answered. NC State drove 75 yards on its opening drive to tie the score. Finley, who tossed for 52 yards on the series and helped the Wolfpack convert on a fourth down to extend the drive, scampered six yards for the touchdown.
The Gamecocks responded with some help. South Carolina went 80 yards to retake the lead, culminated by a 34-yard touchdown toss from Jake Bentley to Rico Dowdle. Earlier it appeared NC State had a turnover but Jarius Morehead’s interception attempt was broken up. The score then came four plays later.
NC State tied the game again when Nyheim Hines rushed for a 2-yard touchdown in the final minute of the first quarter.
After another South Carolina score, NC State tied the game in the waning seconds of the first half when Finley found Jakobi Meyers in the end zone for a four-yard touchdown.
Finley threw for 296 yards in the first half.
After intermission, the momentum swung to South Carolina. The Gamecocks took the lead on a 39-yard scoring strike to Samuel. The play was made possible when Bentley scrambled right and avoided a likely sack to toss for the score.
Trailing by 14 in the fourth quarter, the Wolfpack cut the deficit in half with a one-yard fourth down touchdown pass from Finley to Samuels. The drive was fueled by the running game, led by Hines.
NC State got the ball with 5:49 remaining after a Johnathan Alston sack stalled a South Carolina drive. Alston, making his first appearance on defense for the Wolfpack, had an interception earlier in the fourth quarter.
The Pack drove into Gamecock territory but a fourth down completion from Finley to Samuels came up inches short of extending the drive and South Carolina took over at its 31 with 4:34 remaining.
Once again NC State got the ball with a chance to tie the game. With 3:06 remaining, the Pack started at its 28.
NC State drove to its eight-yard line with less than 30 seconds remaining. However, on fourth and goal Finley’s last ditch pass attempt was incomplete.
The Wolfpack returns to action Saturday, September 9th in its home opener against Marshall.
South Carolina knocked off NC State 35-28 at Bank of America Stadium in the season opener for both schools.
Ryan Finley finished 45-for-64 for 415 yards and two touchdowns. It was not quite enough.
South Carolina got off to a flying start. After the Gamecocks won the toss, Deebo Samuels took the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown and NC State trailed only 13 seconds into the contest.
The Wolfpack answered. NC State drove 75 yards on its opening drive to tie the score. Finley, who tossed for 52 yards on the series and helped the Wolfpack convert on a fourth down to extend the drive, scampered six yards for the touchdown.
The Gamecocks responded with some help. South Carolina went 80 yards to retake the lead, culminated by a 34-yard touchdown toss from Jake Bentley to Rico Dowdle. Earlier it appeared NC State had a turnover but Jarius Morehead’s interception attempt was broken up. The score then came four plays later.
NC State tied the game again when Nyheim Hines rushed for a 2-yard touchdown in the final minute of the first quarter.
After another South Carolina score, NC State tied the game in the waning seconds of the first half when Finley found Jakobi Meyers in the end zone for a four-yard touchdown.
Finley threw for 296 yards in the first half.
After intermission, the momentum swung to South Carolina. The Gamecocks took the lead on a 39-yard scoring strike to Samuel. The play was made possible when Bentley scrambled right and avoided a likely sack to toss for the score.
Trailing by 14 in the fourth quarter, the Wolfpack cut the deficit in half with a one-yard fourth down touchdown pass from Finley to Samuels. The drive was fueled by the running game, led by Hines.
NC State got the ball with 5:49 remaining after a Johnathan Alston sack stalled a South Carolina drive. Alston, making his first appearance on defense for the Wolfpack, had an interception earlier in the fourth quarter.
The Pack drove into Gamecock territory but a fourth down completion from Finley to Samuels came up inches short of extending the drive and South Carolina took over at its 31 with 4:34 remaining.
Once again NC State got the ball with a chance to tie the game. With 3:06 remaining, the Pack started at its 28.
NC State drove to its eight-yard line with less than 30 seconds remaining. However, on fourth and goal Finley’s last ditch pass attempt was incomplete.
The Wolfpack returns to action Saturday, September 9th in its home opener against Marshall.
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