Blacksburg, VA - NC State pulled one of the biggest upsets in NDL history with a win over the #1 rated Virginia Tech Hokies in the ACC Championship Game. The game started with NCSU winning the toss, and kicking to VT. NC State was able to force a Hokie turnover less than 2:00 into the game when D. Johnson jumped in front of the Clayton pass attempt. The Wolfpack got the ball on the 12 yard line. Wilson was able to take advantage of the aggressive corner play and hit Stephen Howard on a corner route when the DB was playing the slant. Virginia Tech responded with a 7 play TD drive to pull the score to 7-7 at the end of the First Quarter.
Early in the Second Quarter, Russell Wilson threw the ball to uncovered TE George Bryan, who went 32 yards and was tackled on the 2. Two plays later, FB Taylor Gentry scored on the FB Dive. NC State was able to get the Hokies to kick a FG to put the score at 14-10. NC State made a big mistake when punting just before halftime, and let the ball get into the endzone for the touchback. Virginia Tech had plenty of time and timeouts to go down the field and score a TD just before half to put the Hokies ahead 17-14 at the break.
NC State got the ball to start the second half, was put together a huge 8 play, 3:20 drive capped off by the Mustafa Greene screen pass for touchdown. NC State then held Tech to a 3 and out. TJ Graham returned the ball 22 yards to set up good field position for the wolfpack. Gaining 32 yards on the next 2 plays, NC State then settled for the FG and a 24-17 lead. On Virginia Tech's following play, LB Dwayne Maddox hit RB Wilson and knocked the ball loose, scooped up and scored by LB Audi Cole to put NC State up 31-17 to start the fourth.
Virginia Tech was able to drive the ball all the way deep into the Wolfpack side of the field, but CB David Amerson picked off Clayton's pass in the endzone to preserve the 14 point lead. NC State then turned to the ground game to try to chew up some of the clock. Able to get a first down, NC State now led 31-17 with only 3:40 to go. Virginia Tech started the drive from midfield, and within 2 plays had scored to pull within a TD. NC State then tried to take more time off the clock, but on third down went for the short completion, but was picked off by J. Hosely around the NCSU 36. 4 plays later, JuJu Clayton crossed the goalline to tie the game with 1:29 to go.
Feeling that this game was going downhill, NC State ran up the middle first and second downs with no time on the play clock. From the NCSU 37 yard line, NC State would line up and try one heave to the endzone. WR TJ Graham caught the ball around the 10 yard line, but the VT defensive backs went for the interception and were knocked out of position. Graham took the ball to the right and was caught from behind by Whitley but was pulled down on the goalline, and the Wolfpack pulls off the upset win, 38-31.
First Quarter
4:26 TD NCSU: S. Howard, 13 Yd pass from R. Wilson
1:48 TD VT: D. Roberts, 6 Yd pass from J. Clayton
Second Quarter
5:54 TD NCSU: T. Gentry, 2 Yd Run
2:48 FG VT: J. Myer, 34 Yd FG
0:14 TD VT: J. Boykin, 41 Yd pass from J. Clayton
Third Quarter
3:34 TD NCSU: M. Greene, 36 Yd pass from R. Wilson
0:38 FG NCSU: C. Hawthorne, 40 Yd FG
0:27 TD NCSU: A. Cole, returned fumble 31 Yds
4th Quarter
3:25 TD VT: J. Boykin, 28 Yd pass from J. Clayton
1:21 TD VT: J. Clayton, 7 Yd run
0:00 TD NCSU: T. Graham, 63 Yd pass from R. Wilson
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