CHAPEL HILL, N.C. _ N.C. State got what it needed on Friday, while North Carolina got another loss to an in-state rival.
Jaylen Samuels threw for a touchdown and ran for one to lead the Wolfpack to a 28-21 upset of UNC at Kenan Stadium on Friday afternoon.
With its postseason fate on the line, N.C. State (6-6, 3-5 ACC) needed a win to get back to a bowl game for the third straight year.
The Wolfpack ran for 257 yards and led by 21 points twice before holding on late for its fourth win in the past five trips to Chapel Hill.
UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky threw for three touchdowns and receiver Ryan Switzer had 13 catches for 171 yards but the Tar Heels (8-4, 5-3) couldn't avoid falling to .500 (5-5) under coach Larry Fedora against Triangle rivals N.C. State and Duke.
The Blue Devils upset UNC on Nov. 10 to effectively knock the Heels out of the Coastal Division race.
Trubisky's 48-yard touchdown pass to Bug Howard cut N.C. State's lead to 28-21 at 7:52 in the fourth quarter.
After its defense forced a three-and-out, UNC had the ball and a chance to tie it but was stopped on downs near midfield.
N.C. State took over with 3:10 on the clock and picked up two first downs to run the clock out.
Samuels' 4-yard touchdown run after a grinding 14-play, 85-yard drive, gave N.C. State a 28-7 lead at 8:22 in the third quarter.
The margin turned out to be too much for the Tar Heels to overcome after a series of penalties, dropped passes and failed risks.
Down 21-7 at the half, Fedora called an onside kick to open the second half. UNC receiver Anthony Ratliff-Williams recovered the kick, which caught N.C. State by surprise, but an illegal procedure penalty after a video review, forced a re-kick and N.C. State made the most of the second chance.
The Wolfpack drove 85 yards, with a mix of strong running and timely passes to freshman receiver Jakobi Meyers. By the time Samuels scored, the Wolfpack had chewed up 6 minutes and 30 seconds of clock time.
UNC responded on its next drive by getting all the way down to N.C. State's 8-yard line but another gamble by Fedora came up empty.
Fedora called for a run with T.J. Logan, instead of Elijah Hood, on third-and-1 from the 8 and N.C. State's defense stopped Logan for a 1-yard loss.
On fourth down, Switzer took a pitch from the slot and then attempted to throw the ball back to Trubisky but the throw was out of Trubisky's reach.
N.C. State stormed out of the gate to a 21-0 lead. Offensive coordinator Eli Drinkwitz emptied the playbook with a double-pass from Samuels to receiver Stephen Louis for a 59-yard touchdown on the opening possession.
A fumble by Trubisky at his own 29-yard line set up the Wolfpack's second touchdown. Dayes punched in a 1-yard run to cap off a quick four-play drive.
Dayes scored again, on an 18-yarder, out of a "wildcat" formation on fourth-and-1 to put N.C. State ahead 21-0.
UNC punted on three of its first four drives and fumbled on the other. For the half, UNC had seven first downs and punted five times. The Tar Heels only punted once in last year's 45-34 win in Raleigh.
A fumble by Wolfpack sophomore running back Nyheim Hines led to Carolina's only score of the first half. Hines coughed up the ball at N.C. State's 33-yard line and Elijah Hood had two long runs to set up a 4-yard touchdown connection between Trubisky and receiver Ryan Switzer.
N.C. State had a chance to add to its lead but kicker Connor Haskins missed a 26-yard field goal on the last play of the first half.
