Halftime observations: State 13, Syracuse 0

Here's a look back at what went right and what went wrong through the first 30 minutes of tonight's game

Rob Kinnan/USAToday sports

Well, it looks as if NC State has finally found a quarterback.

The problem is, he's a wide receiver. Although first-time starter Bailey Hockman moved the ball in the first half and actually completed a couple of downfield passes -- going 8 of 13 for 91 yards -- it was multi-talented Thayer Thomas that finally got the Wolfpack into the end zone in the final minute of the half.

Thomas hit wide open running back Trent Pennix for a 32-yard touchdown to finally give State a little separation in a half that saw State dominate on the stat sheet, but get little to show for it.

Thomas has now thrown two touchdown passes this season. That's only one behind team leader Matthew McKay. This one was huge, because prior to it, State continued a season-long rut of settling for Christopher Dunn field goals instead of scoring touchdowns.

Even with the lack of scoring, the first half tonight was by far the Wolfpack's most dominant to date.

Defensively, it held Syracuse to just 117 total yards -- 52 of which came on one play late in the half. The Orange had negative-five yards rushing, a total created by five sacks -- giving the Wolfpack 13 in its last two games.

State will get the ball first in the second half and a scoring drive, particularly a touchdown drive, could go a long way toward putting this one away.

Stay tuned ...