#16 NC State Holds on for 27-14 Win over Texas Tech

RALEIGH – Both #16 NC State and
Texas Tech came into Saturday night’s game with 2-0 records, with each team
struggling with an in-state American Athletic Conference rival and also blowing
out an FCS opponent. With both offenses having scored a combined 162 points
over the first two weeks, it seemed like a shootout was in the works for the 56,919
fans in attendance in Carter-Finley Stadium. But, it was the NC State defense
that shined the brightest on Saturday night as the hometown Wolfpack walked
away with a 27-14 win.

The first quarter of the game saw the Wolfpack excelling in
two of the three phases of the game. Defensively, the Wolfpack forced a punt on
the first three possessions of the game. In special teams, Christopher Dunn hit
two field goals and the punt team recovered a muffed punt return by Texas Tech.

After the NC State defense forced yet another punt, the Wolfpack
offense began to wake up after their slow start. When a personal foul penalty
added fifteen yards to a Devin Leary deep completion to Thayer Thomas, Demie Sumo-Karngbaye
became the first Pack player to find the end zone on the evening with a
fourteen-yard scoring run on the next play.

Trying desperately to find any offensive momentum in the
first half, Texas Tech rolled the dice on the next drive and went for it on a
fourth down at the NC State 28-yard line. Defensive end Davin Vann forced Red
Raiders quarterback Donovan Smith to hurry the throw and sophomore Aydan White
stepped in front of the pass and raced eighty-four yards down the home sideline
for the pick-six and a three-score lead. Smith made up for his error on the
next drive, hitting Myles Price on a deep pass across the middle for the Red
Raiders touchdown.

The third quarter ended up being the only scoreless quarter
of the evening. NC State almost got on the board late in the quarter, but a
Texas Tech player punched the ball out of Demie Sumo-Karngbaye's hands at the one-yard
line and the ball rolled out of the end zone for a touchback.

Opening the fourth quarter, Texas Tech tried its luck again
as the Red Raiders decided to go for it on fourth down at their own 35 yard
line, but they stopped short of the first down marker. Sensing a chance to put
the game away, NC State came out with a halfback pass from Thayer Thomas to
Demie Sumo-Karngbaye on the next play for a Wolfpack TD.

Even after Texas Tech quarterback Donovan Smith made it a two
score-game again with a three-yard keeper, the NC State defense stepped up with
Jakeen Harris picking off Smith on the Raiders’ next possession. When Aydan
White intercepted his second pass of the night with one minute left in the
game, NC State was able to run out the clock and celebrate a 3-0 start to the
season.

 

Notable North Carolinians

Thayer Thomas (Heritage) – the graduate receiver caught 4
passes and even threw for a touchdown in the third quarter.

Aydan White (Asheville Christ School) – the sophomore cornerback
had an eighty-six-yard pick-six in the third quarter and a second interception
to seal the game later on.

Payton Wilson (Orange) – the redshirt junior linebacker led
the team with nine tackles for a defense that only gave up fifty-four rushing
yards.

  

Next Week

Both teams are at home next week as NC State (3-0) hosts
UConn at Carter-Finley Stadium while Texas Tech (2-1) invites in-state rival
and the #21 ranked Texas Longhorns to Lubbock.