Written by Garin Turner
For the first time since 2010, the NC State Wolfpack (5-1, 3-0 ACC) are ranked in the top 25. They will certainly move up in the rankings after defeating Louisville (4-2, 1-2 ACC) 39-25. Louisville is now 0-7 when both teams are ranked and Louisville is on the road.
The game moved at a fast pace as both teams ran the hurry up offense throughout. By halftime, Louisville had the ball 16 minutes while NC State had the ball for 14. The final time of possession saw the Wolfpack with a slight edge 30:33 to Louisville's 29:27.
Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson had a good game but didn't do enough to help his team win. He took a lot of hits in the game and was sacked four times by a good Wolfpack defensive line. Jackson finished the day 26/47 for 354 yards and a touchdown pass. He ran 19 times for 73 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson became the 6th player in FBS history to reach 3,000 yards rushing and 7,000 yards passing in a career but he much rather have a win than amazing stats.
Louisville started the game with the ball but didn't do much leading to a 3 and out. The Wolfpack drove the ball down the field on their first possession but failed to score. The Cardinals blitzed nearly every play on the first drive but the Wolfpack managed to move the ball. NC State tried several trick plays in the first quarter but Louisville was ready for them.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Wolfpack struck first with a 48-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ryan Finley to Kelvin Harmon on a five play 59-yard drive that only took 1:42. Louisville answered when Jackson connected with Seth Dawkins for a 23-yard touchdown pass. Louisville missed a lot of tackles in the game that would've brought fourth down and the Wolfpack made them pay for it. After a 39-yard pass from Finley to Stephen Louis, running back Nyheim Hines scored the first of his two touchdowns on a 11-yard run to bring the score to 14-7. After both teams traded field goals, the score at halftime was 17-10 Wolfpack.
NC State outgained Louisville 334-225 at the half. Louisville was better on third down converting 4-8 while NC State was 2-6. Penalties where an issue for both teams in the game. The Cardinals had 10 for 69-yards while the Wolfpack had six for 50 yards. At the end of the game, the Wolfpack had outgained the Cardinals 520-470. "We didn't do a good job defending the pass game. We couldn't get pressure on the quarterback," head coach Bobby Petrino said.
The Wolfpack scored on their second drive in the 3rd quarter, A Hines 7-yard run with 1:35 left in the 3rd quarter to bring the score to 24-13. Louisville answered in the 4th quarter with a four-yard touchdown run by Jackson. They went for two but failed on the conversion. NC State marched right down the field and capped off the drive with a three-yard touchdown run by Reggie Gallaspy II and converted on the two-point conversion to make the score 32-19.
With 4:10 left in the game Jackson scored on a three-yard run but the extra point was blocked. After a defensive stop by the Cardinals they got the ball back with plenty of time left. However, Jackson threw a pick six to Germaine Pratt to seal the game for the Wolfpack. "Offensively we moved the ball at times but we weren't as consistent as we wanted to be," Petrino said.
Finley was 20/31 for 367 yards and a touchdown. Hines was the leading rusher for the Wolfpack with 18 carries for 102 yards and the two touchdowns. Harmon and Jaylen Samuels had big days in the passing game. Harmon finished with six receptions for 133 yards and a score while Samuels had seven receptions for 104.
Louisville returns home next week when they take on Boston College.
NC State is on the road next week to take on Pitt.
The game moved at a fast pace as both teams ran the hurry up offense throughout. By halftime, Louisville had the ball 16 minutes while NC State had the ball for 14. The final time of possession saw the Wolfpack with a slight edge 30:33 to Louisville's 29:27.
Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson had a good game but didn't do enough to help his team win. He took a lot of hits in the game and was sacked four times by a good Wolfpack defensive line. Jackson finished the day 26/47 for 354 yards and a touchdown pass. He ran 19 times for 73 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson became the 6th player in FBS history to reach 3,000 yards rushing and 7,000 yards passing in a career but he much rather have a win than amazing stats.
Louisville started the game with the ball but didn't do much leading to a 3 and out. The Wolfpack drove the ball down the field on their first possession but failed to score. The Cardinals blitzed nearly every play on the first drive but the Wolfpack managed to move the ball. NC State tried several trick plays in the first quarter but Louisville was ready for them.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Wolfpack struck first with a 48-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ryan Finley to Kelvin Harmon on a five play 59-yard drive that only took 1:42. Louisville answered when Jackson connected with Seth Dawkins for a 23-yard touchdown pass. Louisville missed a lot of tackles in the game that would've brought fourth down and the Wolfpack made them pay for it. After a 39-yard pass from Finley to Stephen Louis, running back Nyheim Hines scored the first of his two touchdowns on a 11-yard run to bring the score to 14-7. After both teams traded field goals, the score at halftime was 17-10 Wolfpack.
NC State outgained Louisville 334-225 at the half. Louisville was better on third down converting 4-8 while NC State was 2-6. Penalties where an issue for both teams in the game. The Cardinals had 10 for 69-yards while the Wolfpack had six for 50 yards. At the end of the game, the Wolfpack had outgained the Cardinals 520-470. "We didn't do a good job defending the pass game. We couldn't get pressure on the quarterback," head coach Bobby Petrino said.
The Wolfpack scored on their second drive in the 3rd quarter, A Hines 7-yard run with 1:35 left in the 3rd quarter to bring the score to 24-13. Louisville answered in the 4th quarter with a four-yard touchdown run by Jackson. They went for two but failed on the conversion. NC State marched right down the field and capped off the drive with a three-yard touchdown run by Reggie Gallaspy II and converted on the two-point conversion to make the score 32-19.
With 4:10 left in the game Jackson scored on a three-yard run but the extra point was blocked. After a defensive stop by the Cardinals they got the ball back with plenty of time left. However, Jackson threw a pick six to Germaine Pratt to seal the game for the Wolfpack. "Offensively we moved the ball at times but we weren't as consistent as we wanted to be," Petrino said.
Finley was 20/31 for 367 yards and a touchdown. Hines was the leading rusher for the Wolfpack with 18 carries for 102 yards and the two touchdowns. Harmon and Jaylen Samuels had big days in the passing game. Harmon finished with six receptions for 133 yards and a score while Samuels had seven receptions for 104.
Louisville returns home next week when they take on Boston College.
NC State is on the road next week to take on Pitt.