RALEIGH, N.C. – On a night in which Bill Cowher was inducted into the NC State Football Ring of Honor, a low-scoring affair saw Louisville beat the Wolfpack 13-10 Friday night from Carter-Finley Stadium.
The Wolfpack (3-2,1-1) forced three turnovers, but it wasn’t enough as Louisville (5-0, 3-0) forced three turnovers of their own and totaled 306 yards to NC State’s 201 yards in the victory.
After missing a 52-yard field goal earlier in the game, Brock Travelstead hit a 53-yard field goal with 5:32 to go in the game to give Louisville their first lead of the game, making it 13-10, where the game would eventually end.
With 1:44 left on the clock, the Wolfpack had a chance to drive down the field and tie the game or go for the win, but a costly interception on the drive’s first play gave the ball back to the Cardinals to end the game ultimately.
Offensively, Terrell Timmons, Jr. totaled 71 receiving yards, setting a new career best with Delbert Mimms, III, finding the endzone for the fifth time this season, leading the Wolfpack offense.
The first quarter saw a total of 84 yards between the two teams, as the defense for both sides controlled the game.
The first scoring opportunity came from the visitors in the second quarter as Louisville attempted a 52-yard field goal but came up with no points after missing wide right.
The only end zone score of the game for the Wolfpack came from Mimms as he punched it in from four yards out for his team-leading fifth touchdown of the season. The touchdown was set up by two fourth-down conversions, which included a fake punt that saw Payton Wilson take the snap and pick up three yards on fourth and one.
Wilson once again led the team in tackles, totaling 10 for his 18th double-digit career game with him and Sean Brown also adding two sacks and eight tackles. Bishop Fitzgerald recorded his first interception for NC State, while Shyheim Battle recorded his sixth career interception of his career, the second-highest mark on the team.
It was the Wolfpack defense and Wilson again making plays, with Brown getting to the quarterback and forcing a fumble with Wilson recovering. The Wolfpack couldn’t put any points on the board but quickly got the ball back thanks to another Louisville turnover.
Battle’s interception put the offense in good field position before halftime. With the clock winding down, Brayden Narveson drilled a 48-yard field goal as time expired to give NC State a 10-0 lead heading into the break.
Louisville’s first score of the game came with 6:38 left in the third quarter as Chris Bell recorded his first touchdown with the Cardinals. A 39-yard touchdown reception to make it 10-7.
The momentum seemed to shift as Louisville forced an Armstrong fumble, which the visitors recovered. With Louisville moving down into Wolfpack territory, the defense held once again, forcing a Cardinal field goal, which tied the game at 10-10.
Louisville’s third turnover of the game came courtesy of the Fitzgerald interception in the Red Zone, but NC State couldn’t create any points from turnover.
Up Next: The Wolfpack will take a break from ACC play as they get set to host Marshall on October 7 at 2 p.m. from Carter-Finley Stadium, with the game being broadcast on The CW Network.
