RECAP: State, Hines Run Past Heels
RALEIGH, N.C. -- NC State struggled for most of the afternoon. For three quarters it appeared the home team would lose the rivalry matchup for the fourth straight season.
Nyheim Hines had other ideas.
The junior from Garner scored on consecutive runs of 54 and 48 yards in a span less than two minutes and NC State pulled away in the second half to defeat North Carolina 33-21 at Carter-Finley Stadium.
The Wolfpack concludes the regular season 8-4 overall and 6-2 in ACC. The win marks the first time NC State has finished conference play with six victories since 1994.
North Carolina ends its campaign 3-9 and 1-7 in the league.
NC State started fast. After a three-and-out the Wolfpack 45 yards on 11 plays culminating in a Ryan Finley three-yard touchdown run. Kyle Bambard’s extra point attempt hit the right upright.
The Tar Heels were struggling offensively up to that point but moved the ball up the field on the ensuing drive. UNC, buoyed by two pass interference calls against NC State, answered on a 51-yard scoring strike from Nathan Elliott to Anthony Ratliff-Williams and took the lead following a successful PAT.
North Carolina used another touchdown pass from Elliott to Michael Carter, this time from 24 yards to increase the lead to 14-6 with 11:46 remaining in the first half.
Finley capped a drive with his second rushing touchdown of the game with 3:27 left in the second quarter to draw NC State within 14-12. The two-point conversion failed and UNC retained its lead into intermission.
The third quarter slogged along until Hines made his mark in the dying seconds of the period.
He finished with 196 yards on 22 carries. It was the most rushing yards ever by a NC State player versus North Carolina.
Hines also became the ninth player in program history to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing in a season.
UNC did not quit. The Tar Heels narrowed the gap to six points with Jordan Cunningham hauled in a one-yard touchdown from Elliott with 8:16 remaining.
Undeterred, NC State killed off the contest with a methodical drive that ended with Jaylen Samuels scoring a touchdown with 1:33 left to eliminate any doubt.
With a fourth straight winning season wrapped up, NC State now awaits its postseason fate. The Wolfpack will play in a bowl game for the seventh time in eight seasons.