Brett Friedlander/SI Wolfpack Maven
Gameday Live Blog/Open Thread: State vs. Georgia Tech
ATLANTA -- It's an absolute perfect night for a college football game, clear, temperatures in the 50s and one of the most picturesque venues in the ACC.
That's an especially good thing for those of us in the media, since there's an open air press box here at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
The irony of perfect conditions is that the teams playing in this Thursday night game are about as imperfect as you can imagine. Neither NC State nor Georgia Tech have won in more than a month, they both rank at the bottom of the conference in scoring offense and near the top in turnovers.
Something's got to give, especially for the Wolfpack who are still mathematically alive for a possible bowl berth.
PREGAME
The Wolfpack is wearing its white jerseys and helmets with red pants. Very sharp looking. By far my favorite combination.
State wins the toss and will defer. Wolfpack will start the game on defense against the lowest scoring team in the ACC ...
The Ramblin' Wreck is driving onto the field, followed by the Yellow Jackets. So it's almost time for kickoff ...
Offensive linemen Icky Ekwonu and Timothy McKay warm up before Thursday's game
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FIRST QUARTER
State wins the toss and will defer. Wolfpack will start the game on defense against the lowest scoring team in the ACC ...
That didn't take long … first play of the game Graham to Carter for 54 yards. Carter was wide open, burning Malik Dunbar. And so it begins ... Two plays later, Graham hits Brown and the Wolfpack is in a familiar spot ... an early hole.
Not sure what's going on down on the field as the ref's mic isn't working. This much is certain, though, less than two minutes into the game and the Wolfpack is already down 7-0 ...
Georgia Tech's Malachi Carter catches a pass as State cornerback Malik Dunlap chases on the game's first play
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Wolfpack will start from its own 25 and Knight runs for 10 on the first play. Knight gains 16 on the second play. I'm still not anticipating an offensive shootout, but so far it looks like that might be the case. ...
Doeren goes for it on fourth-and-one from the Tech 13 and makes it ... on a quarterback sneak, no less ...
Leary hits Emezie in the corner of the end zone, but he was just out of bounds ... Third and five from the 13 ... Then hits Emezie underneath, so it's another fourth and short and Doeren is going for it again. ...
This time they go with Knight on a direct snap and he's stopped for a loss. Wolfpack moved the ball well, but comes away with nothing to show for it. This has been a recurring problem for State all season, so it shouldn't be a surprise that it happened again. Still, you just have to shake your head with amazement that the same problems continue to haunt this team week after week after week ...
Once this season is over, I'm going to go back and figure out just how many points the Wolfpack has left on the field this season because of turnovers, downs and other self-inflected miscues. I'd venture to say it's probably close to, if not more than it's actually scored ...
State tries a flea flicker and Leary throws incomplete to Emezie short on the sideline … even though he had Thomas with a step and a half on his man racing down the middle of the field. …. these are the mistakes bad teams make. ...
Jordan Mason breaks off a 48-yard run. Second play of 40 or more yards for Tech already tonight. Linebacker Isaiah Moore is injured on the play for State ...
Be still my heart! Stop the presses! #NCState's defense just forced a turnover. Ibrahim Kante forced the fumble. Larrell Murchison fell on it. The Wolfpack's first takeaway since the fourth quarter of the Ball State game SEVEN games ago on Sept. 28. ...
And of course the offense does nothing with it. Running the ball on third and long.
Explosive play allowed No. 3 … this one a 25-yard run by Mason. Remember when State led the ACC in rushing defense?
End of 1 ... GA Tech 7, State 0
SECOND QUARTER
Tech converts on fourth and short where the Wolfpack failed inside the 15, then Graham buys time by rolling right and hitting former QB Tobias Oliver in the end zone for a touchdown ... Tech 14, State 0
The Yellow Jackets are averaging 16 points per game this season, by far the worst in the ACC. They already had 14 here tonight … State is clearly the salve that heals all wounds right now. ...
This from my kid brother David, who works for the Gwinnett Daily Post here in suburbab Atlanta ... the 14-0 lead is the biggest lead Tech has had in any game this season. So there's that. ...
Isaiah Moore is back out there .... But now fellow linebacker Drake Thomas is down. Looks like his left arm or elbow and he's in a lot of pain. ...
Four minutes into the second quarter and the ref's mic is finally working ...
This is the kind of season it's been for State. Jordan Houston get through the line, cuts back inside and has a clear shot at the zone … but he runs into the umpire and is stopped at the 11 ...
QB Devin Leary is sacked by Georgia Tech's Kaleb Oliver
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An illegal blind side block by QB Devin Leary on a play that Ricky Person was already way behind the line turns a first and goal from inside the 5 to a third and goal from the 17. Houston then turns a short pass into a 14-yard gain to the 3. Fourth down. Time out State.
Knight runs the ball effectively all the way down the field, but is nowhere to be found once they get it into the red zone. Also, play calling inside the 20 has been abysmal all season. This drive no different. ...
Doeren is going to take the field goal this time and Dunn coverts. Tech 14, State 3 with 2:04 left in the half ...
18 plays, 93 yards. No touchdown. Wolfpack football 2019.
Quick 3 and out for the State defense and a timeout with 1:13 left in the half. Not sure the offense is capable of converting this into points, but it's going to get the chance after the punt. ...
Thayer Thomas muffs the punt, then can't corrall it once it's on the ground and Tech is the team that will get the last chance with 1:03 left. State continues to self-destruct. Twelve turnovers in the last five games. Tough to win doing that ...
And now a roughing the passer penalty on Isaiah Moore ... Doeren is livid. Calls timeout and comes all the way out to the numbers to let the ref hear about it ...
One play later, Graham connects on his third touchdown pass of the game and instead of getting a chance to get closer before the half, the Wolfpack allows Tech to extend its advantage to 21-3. ...
State will run out the clock and head into halftime to try and figure something out.
Halftime: Tech 21, State 3T
THIRD QUARTER
State gets it first to start the half. Wolfpack could use a score on this opening drive ...
Leary hits Carter for what appears to be a first down, but Carter drops the ball. It's called an incompletion. They're reviewing it. Sure looked like he held it long enough to be a catch. Also looked like he recovered it. ...
Wolfpack finally gets a break. The call is reversed and it's a first down ...
Tech pulls a page out of the old Paul Johnson playbook by running an option play on fourth and one and picking up the first down ...
This third quarter is flying by. Only 5:14 left and both teams have had the ball just once each. State has to get off the field to have a chance at getting back into this one. Possessions are precious right now ...
Graham sees both State safeties cheating into the box and burns them by taking a QB draw 26 yards to the house as Tech negates the TD State scored to start the half. Wolfpack can't stand prosperity ...
Tech 28, State 10, 5:08 left third quarter
Devin Leary started to find his rhythm passing in the third quarter
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Two completions of 20-plus yards, the second on a nice catch in traffic by Jasiah Provillon, and a defensive holding call has State right back in business just outside the red zone ... Leary looking significantly better and more comfortable in this second half ...
Another fourth-and-one coming up for State. Another sneak perhaps?
There's the QB sneak. Depends on where they spot it, but it looks like he got it. He did. State 3 for 3 on QB sneaks tonight ...
Leary throws behind Hines on third and seven from the 12. Dunn coming out for another field goal attempt. ... Kick is good and it's now Tech 28, State 13
Field goals aren't going to cut it at this point in the game. Then again, if the defense doesn't start getting some stops, it doesn't matter what the offense does. ...
End of 3 … time for one of the great traditions in college football … The Budweiser song!
Tech 28, State 13
THIRD QUARTER
Graham punished the Wolfpack with his arm in the first half. Now he's beating it into submission with his legs. He's got 110 yards on the ground ...
But hold on, Graham his hit behind the line and fumbles and Larrell Murchison gets his second recovery of the night ... State still has some life left ...
Knight has exactly 100 yards tonight. His third 100-yard effort of the season. He also broke the century mark against Western Carolina and Clemson ...
Hines with two catches for long gains and State has it first and goal on the 4 ... Hines has 4 catches for 88 yards after being all but invisible for the past few weeks ...
Injured captain Dylan Autenreith in the huddle during the timeout trying to rally his teammates. State needs to score a touchdown here... No more field goals.
And there's the TD ... Cary Angeline's fifth TD catch of the year and the Wolfpack is back to within 28-20 with just under 12 minutes left.
Again, defense needs a stop
Tech showing why it's 2-8 and giving State a chance here … wide open receiver drops a perfectly thrown pass that would have been a HUGE gain.
State's season summed up in one play … Graham flushed out of the pocket, throws an ill-advised play right into the hands of cornerback Malik Dunlap, who drops it … right into the hands of Tech receiver Adonicas Sanders for a first down. You can't make this stuff up ...
After further review, it's ruled incomplete and State dodges a huge bullet … and will get the ball back ...
Wolfpack takes over at the 20 with 10:39 left. Plenty of time. One score down.
Jordan Houston doing some work on the ground now. He's got 89 yards. State has rushed for 199 as a team tonight ...
A holding penalty on guard Joe Sculthorpe sets State back, but on third and 17, Leary hits Devin Carter for 20 and a first down, then Ricky Person gains 16 to put the Wolfpack in the red zone ...
Person bullies his way to the 1. State has rushed for 229 yards as a team tonight.
After Leary is stopped short on a sneak (confirmed by review) Person dives into the end zone for six. Two-point play to tie coming up ...
Terrible play call. Leary throws way over Angeline's head in the end zone just as he's hit. State still trails 28-26 with 5:17 left ...
State calls its second timeout. Tech has it third and one. This play is the game. Either the Wolfpack gets it back or Tech can run out the clock with 2:09 left. .... They had Mason stopped in the backfield but couldn't wrap him up. Barring a turnover here, State's bowl hopes are about to expire. ...
Tech take a knee and that's it. Wolfpack plays one good half, but it's not enough. State loses 28-26 to fall to 4-7, ending its postseason hopes. Next week vs UNC for pride only
Final: Tech 28, State 26
