RALEIGH, N.C. — It took a while for N.C. State to get going, but once it did, it was fun to watch.
After a scoreless first quarter by both teams, the Wolfpack exploded for 28 points in the second quarter, eventually topping Syracuse, 41-17, in their final contest versus an Atlantic Division foe.
N.C. State (8-3, 5-2) has a chance to go for a nine-win season against rival North Carolina next week. That would be the third nine-win season under head coach Dave Doeren. That’s not all the Wolfpack are playing for in the regular-season finale.
With an N.C. State win and a Wake Forest loss at Boston College, the Wolfpack would win the division. N.C. State got some help from Clemson on Saturday. The Tigers defeated the Demon Deacons, 48-27, handing Wake Forest its first conference loss.
After that game, N.C. State did its part, improving its all-time record over Syracuse to 13-2. Once the Wolfpack got out of their own way (five flags in the first quarter), they got things going.
N.C. State scored in all three phases — offense, defense, special teams — starting with an 8-yard touchdown run by Ricky Person, Jr.
The Wolfpack scored their next 14 points without the offense even touching the ball. Drake Thomas gave the team a 14-0 lead with a pick six, returning his third interception of the season 38-yards for his first career score. After Sean Tucker broke off a 55-yard run for a touchdown for the Orange, Zonovan Knight took the ensuing kickoff 97 yards to the house.
Leary ended the half with a 14-yard pass to Christopher Toudle. Leary has thrown two or more touchdowns in 10 of the 11 games this season. He finished 17 of 24 for 303 yards and the two scores.
N.C. State’s defense was solid versus the Orange rushing attack. Syracuse came into the game as the top rushing in the ACC. The Orange finished with 170 on the ground, but 103 of those yards came on two runs.
The Wolfpack defense finished with 14 tackles for loss.
Here’s what we learned:
All three phases
Doeren always talks about complementary football and that was on full display Saturday. N.C. State scored an offensive touchdown, on a kickoff return and returned an interception for a score, all in the second quarter versus the Orange.
The last time that happened was in 2016 versus Vanderbilt in the Camping World Independence Bowl. The interception by return for a score by Drake Thomas was the first defensive touchdown for the Wolfpack this season.
Don’t kick to Bam
The Syracuse special teams coach must have come into the N.C. State game with all the confidence in his kickoff unit, or he didn’t watch film from last week’s game versus Wake Forest. The Orange kicked to Zonovan Knight in the first half, and he made them pay, returning a kickoff 97 yards to the end zone for a touchdown. It was the second straight week Knight has returned a kickoff for a touchdown.
In 2012 Tobias Palmer returned two kickoff returns for a touchdown. That was the last time it happened before Knight’s two scores this season.
Welcome back to the end zone
Ricky Person, Jr. rushed for a 15-yard touchdown in the end zone for the first score of the game. The rushing touchdown by Person was the first time since the Louisiana Tech game on Oct. 2 that a running back rushed for a score.
Tucker below average
Tucker is the leading rusher in the ACC, averaging 136.2 yards per game. He broke out for a 55-yard touchdown run in the first half, but it was an otherwise quiet day for the freshman. Tucker finished with 105 yards on the ground on 13 carries.
