N.C. State Overpowers Virginia 35-21 In First True Road Test

Virginia came up short in its first true test on the road, falling 35-21 at N.C. State Saturday. The Wolfpack scored 24 unanswered points and set a season high in the rushing category, all while getting another stellar performance from star quarterback Ryan Finley.

The Cavaliers (3-2, 1-1 ACC) surrendered 10 points in the final two minutes of the first half and never could get back within striking distance the rest of the afternoon. Finley was 22 for 32 for 257 yards and three touchdowns on the day to lead the Wolfpack (4-0, 1-0), while freshman Ricky Person had a career-high 108 yards rushing.

State’s 176 rushing yards were by far a season best, as the team averaged just over 100 yards on the ground in its first three contests.

Kelvin Harmon (94 yards) and Emeka Emezie (90 yards) each found the end zone as the Pack made it look easy at times through the air.

Out of the gate, Finley completed his first three passes of the contest on the opening drive for a total of 53 yards, and before you knew it the Wolfpack were threatening in the red zone.

However, the Cavalier defense buckled down and sophomore cornerback Darius Bratton knocked away a pass on third down to force a Christopher Dunn 34-yard field goal for the game’s first points with 12:02 left in the first quarter.

On the Wolfpack’s next possession, the ‘Hoos came up with another big stop on third down, as Juan Thornhill dove to deflect a Finley pass as Chris Peace applied the pressure.

On a 3rd-and-11, Bryce Perkins found Hasise Dubois, who made a great catch down the sideline for 23 yards on the ensuing drive to keep the chains moving. Four plays later, Jordan Ellis got low on a 4th-and-1 for another important first down, and then Perkins hooked up with Olamide Zaccheaus on the next play on a 35-yard touchdown toss.

Zaccheaus had one-on-one coverage and made a slant to the inside, and Perkins delivered a perfect ball for the score to give the ‘Hoos a 7-3 lead with 2:51 left in the first quarter.

Finley was 6 for 7 on the ensuing trip and found Emezie for 16 yards as he collided with Brenton Nelson in the end zone but held on for the touchdown to put the Pack back in front, 10-7, early in the second quarter.

A questionable spot benefitted Finley, as he bobbled the snap on a 4th-and-1 from the Cavalier 16 with 1:51 left in the half. He recovered, but appeared to be short of the marker. However, the ruling on the field was a State first down, and despite a lengthy review, the call stood.

Two plays later, Finley extended the lead with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Cary Angeline, who made a juggling catch to make it 17-7 with 52 seconds left until halftime.

Perkins was intercepted on the second play of the next drive, which led to a 44-yard Dunn field goal as time expired, and the ‘Hoos were down 20-7 at the break.

Reggie Gallaspy pushed the lead to 20 midway through the third quarter on a 2-yard plunge to cap a long drive.

The UVa offense finally got going on the next possession. Perkins danced out of a would-be sack on a third-down conversion and hit Hasise Dubois for a big first down. Zaccheaus rushed for 25 yards later in the drive before a 32-yard toss to speedy freshman Tavares Kelly down to the State 7-yard line.

Three plays later, Perkins again eluded pressure and zipped one to Zaccheaus for the pair’s second TD connection of the day to cut the State lead to 27-14 with 3:11 left in the third. It was the first second-half touchdown allowed by the Wolfpack defense this season.

The ‘Hoos couldn’t convert on a 4th-down pass to Kelly on the following possession that got down all the way to the NCST 21-yard line, and the Wolfpack took over with 12:13 left in the contest.

N.C. State put it away with a 79-play drive that took almost five minutes off the clock, as Finley threw his fourth TD pass of the day to Harmon from 16 yards out, making it 35-14 after a two-point pass to Emezie with 7:25 to play.

The ‘Hoos scored late on an Ellis touchdown run with 3:08 to go, and then Dubois recovered a perfectly placed onside kick off a bounce at midfield to make things interesting. The ‘Hoos moved it down inside the 10-yard line with just over a minute left, but a Perkins pass was tipped and intercepted by Dexter Wright to seal it with 1:06 to go.

Perkins finished the game 20 for 35 for 258 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He carried the ball 14 times for just 24 yards.

Zaccheaus extended his streak of consecutive games with at least one reception to 34, and had 148 all-purpose yards (109 receiving, 39 rushing) and the two scores. Ellis had just 30 yards rushing on 13 attempts, as the team could only muster 93 rushing yards on the day. Dubois had six grabs for 67 yards, while Kelly had 57 yards on three catches.

The Wahoos will now have an extra week to prepare for a home matchup against No. 16 Miami on Oct. 13.