RALEIGH, N.C. _ The Miami Hurricanes figured North Carolina State would give them a test.
The Wolfpack needed a win to secure bowl eligibility. They were honoring their seniors. They've been competitive in all but one of their five losses this season and they've been stout against the run all year.
Miami got the challenge it expected, with N.C. State at times chasing down quarterback Brad Kaaya and keeping running back Mark Walton in check early.
Ultimately, though, Walton managed three second-half touchdowns and Miami managed a 27-13 win at Carter-Finley Stadium, the Hurricanes first win here since 2004.
The Hurricanes also extended their win streak to three games and will head into the final game of the regular season with a momentum it hasn't had since winning four straight to start the year.
And just as it did a week ago in Virginia, a strong second half effort made all the difference.
After managing just 22 rushing yards and a field goal in the first two quarters, Miami needed just three plays to go 75 yards and get its first touchdown of the day, a 30-yard run by Walton.
Walton finished with 120 yards, topping the 100-yard mark for the third straight game. He added another touchdown with 7:11 left in the third quarter on a 1-yard run that capped a 7-play, 80-yard drive and his third touchdown _ a 24-yard run with 2:06 virtually iced the game.
That play also put him over the 1,000-yard mark for the season.
And while Kaaya didn't throw for any scores Saturday, he finished with 286 passing yards, completing 22-of-38 passes and inching ever closer to Ken Dorsey's career passing yard record.
Freshman Ahmmon Richards had a milestone day of his own, finishing with nine catches for 117 yards.
In the process, he passed Michael Irvin's 840-yard freshman receiving record.
Despite all of that, there wasn't much offensively for Miami to celebrate early.
On their second possession, the Hurricanes marched down the field on a 12-play, 67-yard drive, but had to settle for a 31-yard Michael Badgley field goal when the offense sputtered in N.C. State territory.
After that, Miami found itself dealing with some of the same issues that have plagued them all year.
The patchwork offensive line, playing without starting right tackle Sunny Odogwu, starting center Nick Linder and starting left tackle Trevor Darling, tried to replicate its success last week against Virginia, but the Wolfpack gave them problems.
And those problems meant that once again, Kaaya was harassed and hit often. The quarterback was sacked twice in the first half, while Miami's running game struggled against the Wolfpack's stout defensive front. And Badgley missed a kick late.
But Miami's defense did its part, holding NC State to just a field goal too and helping set the stage for the second half.
