Things started slowly in the first half for the now 7-3 Wolfpack. The offense wasn't hitting on all cylinders, and the defense was struggling getting Wake Forest off the field. It was generally mistake-free football, but nothing to hang their hats on. The big news was that new kicker, Chris Hawthorne, could indeed hit a field goal. The first half ended with a score of 10-3 NC State.
The second half was a completely different game. The Wolfpack came out on their opening drive, marched down the field, and ended it with a 38 yard screen pass for an Owen Spencer Touchdown. This was the beginning of the end for the Deacs, as they proceeded to go 3 and out, and even after stopping the Pack and forcing them to punt, they fumbled the ball and gave it right back. Russell Wilson went on to rush for 2 more Touchdowns, making his total come to 4 on the afternoon. Wilson now stands at 2nd all time in ACC total touchdowns, behind, you guessed it: Philip Rivers. Nate Irving also had a career game, setting the NC State record for Tackles for Loss at 8.
The glaring negative on the day was the lack of a rushing attack. The Wolfpack totaled 59 rushing yards on the day, with 17 of them coming from Russell Wilson. Against a weaker Deamon Deacon team the weakness wasn't a huge issue, but if NC State plans on winning their remaining 2 games they better figure out a way to commit to the run a little more. Time of possession will be important against a Tar Heel team, fresh off a disappointing loss to Virginia Tech.
So as Tom O'Brien would say, let's enjoy the victory tonight, but tomorrow it's right back to work. Go Wolfpack!
No comments:
Post a Comment