What they are saying about NC State football and its win over UNC

On3 imageby:Matt Carter11/27/21

TheWolfpacker

Here are some of the thoughts from those who covered NC State football in its 34-30 win over North Carolina at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh on Friday night.    

Matt Carter, The Wolfpacker — Column: Tough to put that NC State football win into words

Statistically speaking, when Wolfpack redshirt sophomore quarterback Devin Leary was sacked for an eight-yard loss on first down of NC State’s next-to-last drive, UNC had a 99.9 percent win probability.

UNC certainly felt that way. They got a sideline celebration because its team acted like it had just kicked a game-winning field goal with two seconds left.

Yet, what is 100 percent true is that the preseason top-10 Heels squad finished the regular season 6-6, only bowl eligible because of its win over a 1-10 Wofford team from the Football Championships Subdivision.

Meanwhile NC State is 9-3 overall and 6-2 in the ACC. It still has a chance of getting a spot in Charlotte for the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 4. Whether it gets there or not, however, this season will be remembered forever fondly, and this game will take its lore in the pantheon of the rivalry.

From NC State’s perspective, the final two minutes will be remembered perhaps more fondly than Russell Wilson’s 2-yard Hail Mary in 2010. The ending of the game was a convergence of good fortune shining on the Pack after little went right for 58 minutes.

How else can you describe blocking a punt only to have it picked up and rushed for a first down against you? Or UNC’s gutsy quarterback Sam Howell, who put on a tremendous performance in warrior fashion, having a ball flutter when his arm was hit right towards tight end Kamari Morales at the 6-yard line while Wolfpack defenders seemed oblivious to what probably could have been an interception?

Or redshirt senior Daniel Joseph crushing Howell from behind for a sack fumble but the ball bounces back to the offensive tackle Joseph beat on the play? Or NC State sophomore safety Jakeen Harris with a potential pick six dropped on third goal at the 4-yard line with less than eight minutes left and UNC at that point ahead, 24-21?

• Matt Carter, The Wolfpacker — Notebook: Devin Leary, Emeka Emezie clutch in victory

NC State football senior receiver Emeka Emezie sat in his chair for his postgame zoom with the media, he still seemed a bit shocked about what happened.

In his final game at Carter-Finley Stadium, Emezie, one of the best wide receivers to ever wear the red and white, provided a moment that will forever be remembered by his alma mater, a school famous for its “Don’t Ever Give Up’ mantra launched by legendary basketball coach Jim Valvano.

Ironically, Emezie saw a shirt in the stands that had those immortal words from Valvano just after NC State fell behind 30-21 with 2:12 to go.

“I just started praying,” Emezie remembered. “Like Jimmy V, I just started praying.

“Things just went our way. It was crazy.”

Emezie would score two touchdowns in the final two minutes to help give NC State its 34-30 stunning win over North Carolina.

• Jonas Pope IV, Raleigh News & Observer — ‘We were due,’ Dave Doeren says of NC State’s dramatic come-from-behind win over UNC

Coming down the final stretch of the season, N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren said his team needed some luck to go their way.

Early in the regular-season finale against North Carolina, the complete opposite happened.

N.C. State blocked a punt, their second of the game. A blocked punt usually is a good sign for the defense. Instead, UNC tight end Garrett Walston picked up the ball and ran 18 yards for the first time, keeping a Tar Heels drive alive.

“You ever seen someone block a punt and someone else get a first down out of it,” Doeren asked. “

Like, the opposite of getting bounces our way. We were due.” For all the bad things, the N.C. State “stuff” that has haunted the Wolfpack for years, the program was long overdue for a good bounce. Trailing by two with 1:35 remaining, Christopher Dunn lined up for the all-important onside kick. Rewind to two weeks ago when N.C. State was in the same situation at Wake Forest, down three to the Demon Deacons. On a cold night in Winston Salem, Ricky Person, Jr. appeared to recover the onside kick attempt. Person was called for off sides and Wake Forest won the game.

In Friday’s regular-season finale, the Wolfpack was in the same situation.

“It was crazy,” Leary said. “Just to think we were in a very similar situation not too long ago and things didn’t go our way. I knew as soon as we recovered the onside kick we were going to score somehow, some way. Football kind of works out that way sometimes and I’m glad it was in our favor.”

Dunn recovered the kick, N.C. State scored three plays later and pandemonium returned to Carter-Finley Stadium. The ball bounced in the Wolfpack’s favor enough for a 34-30 come-from-behind victory.

• Jones Pope IV, Raleigh News & Observer — Pair of critical stops by Wolfpack defense were the difference in win over Tar Heels

What will probably get lost in the offensive explosion and second field rush of the season were the two stops by the defense in the fourth quarter. UNC kicker Grayson Atkins hit two field goals in the final eight minutes. His first kick, from 21-yards, put North Carolina up six, 27-21, with 7:44 remaining.

His second, this time from 50-yards away, made it a nine-point game with 3:16 remaining. Those two stops, three instead of six, gave the Wolfpack a chance.

“They’re tough, they just keep fighting and scrapping and finding ways to make plays,” Doeren said about his defense. “The guys just dug deep and found a way to stop them. That was so close to an interception on third down there with Jakeen (Harris). It was a great stop, we needed it.”

Doeren was referencing the first stop, when UNC quarterback Sam Howell drove the Heels to the N.C. State four. On third and goal, Howell attempted a tunnel screen to wide receiver Josh Downs. Harris was all over it, breaking up the pass, nearly intercepting the ball. North Carolina head coach Mack Brown took a timeout and it looked like for a moment the Heels were contemplating going for it. But Atkins came out and booted the kick through the uprights.

His second field goal, this time after a stop at the N.C. State 33, appeared to seal the game. But a nine-point deficit with plenty of time on the clock left the door open. All the Pack needed was a chance.

• C.L. Brown, Raleigh News & Observer — ‘Never seen anything like it,’ Mack Brown says of UNC’s stunning loss to N.C. State

The Heels did have to come back from down 14 against the Wolfpack Friday at Carter-Finley Stadium. But the difference from the Pitt loss was, they had this game won.

They outgained the Pack 444 yards to 360. They rushed for 297 yards — including a career-high 124 yards from senior British Brooks — which was more than the Pack had allowed in any game this season. And, until the final two drives, they had held N.C. State quarterback Devin Leary to just 159 yards passing.

Kicker Grayson Atkins made a 50-yard field goal with 2:12 left to give Carolina what should have been a comfortable 30-21 lead given the time left and how well the defense had played to that point.

It was enough of a cushion that a discernible amount of N.C. State fans left their seats to exit the stadium like they knew the outcome.

UNC senior linebacker Jeremiah Gemmel said that ultimately was the problem. The Heels played like the outcome had been decided too. Gemmel said the Heels got “too excited, too early.”

“It was like we won the national championship,” Gemmel said. “We acted like we never been there before. We need to get some maturity and understand it ain’t over until that clock hits zero.”

So many UNC players ran on the field, to the dismay of Brown, that they were flagged and given a sideline warning. Atkins’ field goal was the last good thing that happened for Carolina.

• David Thompson, Fayetteville Observer — NC State’s historic comeback over UNC adds a dramatic chapter to in-state rivalry

Emeka Emezie’s final catch at Carter-Finley Stadium will be the one that’s never forgotten. 

Playing in his final home game as a fifth-year senior, Emezie hauled in his second touchdown catch in a span of 26 seconds —a 24-yard strike from quarterback Devin Leary — to successfully eliminate a nine-point deficit with two minutes remaining and secure a wild 34-30 win over UNC.

He was still in shock moments after the game.

“What just happened, honestly,” said Emezie, N.C. State’s all-time leader in receptions. “It doesn’t feel real. I really just thank God. You can’t script that up. You can’t envision that. That’s a blessing.”

For the second time this season, fans at Carter-Finley Stadium stormed the field.

“What a game,” Coach Dave Doeren said after the win. “That’s why you play until the last second runs off the clock.”

• David Thompson, Fayetteville Observer — ‘Let’s go win this thing’: N.C. State changed its narrative with win over UNC

For Doeren, the win instills more belief in what he’s done with this program over the last nine years.

The dramatic 34-30 comeback win over the Tar Heels not only puts the fan base back in his corner, but it also puts him in a category all by himself.

Doeren is the only coach in program history to have three seasons with at least nine wins. It’s also the first time since 1986 that N.C. State (9-3, 6-2) has gone undefeated at home.

“All those things, you know?” Doeren said. “It was an awesome game. I’m proud of our guys.”

Now, there has to be belief past what they can control.

The Wolfpack needs another miracle on Saturday. Wake Forest (9-3, 6-1) must lose to last-place Boston College on Saturday to advance to their first ACC championship game.

“We’re Boston College Eagles fans tomorrow,” Doeren said.

It may seem like a far-fetched possibility —  so were N.C. State’s comeback hopes.

• Nicholas Schnittker, Technician — Pack football wins instant class, Emeka Emezie ends Wolfpack career in heroic fashion

NC State football looked set for another disappointing loss against its biggest rival, trailing by nine with 2:12 remaining in the game after jumping out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead.

But sometimes, NC State can have nice things. For the second time this year, the Wolfpack faithful flooded the field at Carter-Finley Stadium to celebrate a win that fans will talk about long after all of them have graduated.

“What a football game,” said head coach Dave Doeren. “What a game. That’s why you play until the last second runs off the clock. So proud of our team, their fight. Coaching staff, their chemistry, the resolve of this team, the mental toughness, next man up. … I want to thank our crowd, the students on Thanksgiving break coming back. I love you. Our students are amazing. That was a special night. You guys were incredible. Thank you for that. Our seniors deserved that, and you guys delivered.”

Playing his final game in Carter-Finley Stadium, senior receiver Emeka Emezie cemented his place among the Wolfpack legends, making his final two receptions a pair of touchdowns to give NC State a 34-30 comeback win over UNC-Chapel Hill on Friday, Nov. 26 to secure a perfect home record for the first time in 35 years.

“We were down with one, two minutes left,” Emezie said. “And I’m just seeing the crowd. My head was down, but I see in the crowd, somebody’s shirt said, ‘Don’t ever give up.’ I just started praying. You know? Like Jimmy V and I started praying. And then things just went away. It’s crazy.”

• Joe Giglio, WRALSportsFans.com — Doeren doesn’t have to ask for respect anymore, it was earned after th

You can’t ask for respect, as Dave Doeren did several times this season.

It can only be earned.

Finally, in the last game of Year 9, the Wolfpack coach doesn’t have to ask anymore.

True respect doesn’t come from close losses or coulda-beens or never weres. It doesn’t come from blowout wins over South Alabama or Louisiana Tech.

It doesn’t come from draft success stories, 9-win seasons or Bitcoin Bowl wins, either (although those can be nice when historically the program plays at a .500 level).

It comes from moments like the wild final 95 seconds of Friday’s 34-30 win over North Carolina, in a game that looked like it would be another painful nail in a rivalry bed full of them with the Tar Heels.

Instead of another devastating loss, Emeka Emezie had other ideas. The fifth-year senior scored two touchdowns 26 seconds apart after State fell behind 30-21.

Emezie’s notable contribution in the first 57 minutes of the game was a dropped pass in the first quarter. He was ignored mostly after that as NC State’s play-calling veered from the vanilla into the idiotic.

• Brett Friedlander, North State Journal — NC State miracle comeback over UNC keeps Atlantic Division hopes alive

Down by nine points with just over two minutes remaining Friday, NC State needed a miracle to avoid yet another soul-crushing loss to arch-rival North Carolina.

Divine intervention may not actually have played a part in the improbable comeback that saw the Wolfpack stun the Tar Heels 34-30 at Carter-Finley Stadium to keep its ACC Atlantic Division championship hopes alive.

But you’d have a hard time convincing Emeka Emezie, whose two late touchdown catches on passes from Devin Leary helped NC State pull off one of the most dramatic and meaningful victories in the long history of this series.

“I just (saw) in the crowd, somebody’s shirt said, ‘Don’t ever give up,’ like Jimmy V, and I started praying,” Emezie said, referring to the mantra first coined by legendary former Wolfpack basketball coach Jim Valvano during his gallant battle against cancer. “Then things went our way. It was crazy.”

Crazy doesn’t begin to describe a series of events that won’t likely make State fans forget whether T.A. McLendon got into the end zone, why then-coach Tom O’Brien would punt to Giovani Bernard with the game on the line, or any of the other heartbreaks they’ve experienced against the Tar Heels over the years, but will give them a happy memory to remember and talk about well into the future.

——

• Talk about NC State football inside The Wolves’ Den

• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolfpacker

• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolfpacker

• Like us on Facebook

You may also like