RALEIGH, N.C. – In a game that saw 820 total yards, six turnovers, and 89 total points, NC State came away with a 48-41 victory over Marshall Saturday afternoon from Carter-Finley Stadium.
The 48 points scored is the most against a non-FCS opponent since Dec 1. 2018, when the Wolfpack scored 58 against ECU.
Plenty of NC State career highs were set, beginning with quarterback MJ Morris, who matched a career-high 265 yards passing and four touchdowns in his first start of the season. On the ground, Delbert Mimms, III, had a career-high 15 carries totaling 65 yards and a touchdown. Michael Allen had a career-high 37-yard run to score a touchdown and finished with 70 yards on nine carries.
For the first time since October 27 of last year against Virginia Tech, the Wolfpack finished with three receivers with over 50+ receiving yards as Kevin “KC” Concepcion led the team with eight receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end Trent Pennix secured his first multiple-touchdown game with the Wolfpack, adding a career-best 99 yards receiving. Terrel Timmons, Jr. had 51 yards on the day.
The Wolfpack defense forced three Marshall turnovers, including two fumbles and an interception. For the 19th time in his career, Payton Wilson finished with double-digit tackles with 14 tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery. Robert Kennedy had two of three takeaways, coming up with a fumble recovery and interception late in the game.
Marshall struck first, capitalizing off a Wolfpack turnover as an interception set up the Thundering Herd at the Wolfpack 29-yard line. On four plays, the visitors took a 7-0 lead as Marshall QB Cam Fancher took it himself from seven yards for the score.
NC State’s deficit didn’t last long, as a seven-play, 43-yard drive was capped off by Morris and Concepcion connecting for a 17-yard touchdown to even the score. It was Concepcion’s third touchdown of the season.
The Thundering Herd retook the lead off an NC State turnover as Morris’s pass was intercepted and taken back for a 27-yard touchdown to make it 14-7.
Having scored in every game but one this season, Mimms scored his sixth touchdown of the season as he scampered into the endzone 18 yards out to tie the game.
The momentum then shifted in the Wolfpack’s favor as the NC State defense gave the ball back to the offense as Wilson recovered a fumble and set up the offense at the Marshall 39-yard line. It took the offense one play to take the lead as Morris found Pennix wide-open for a touchdown, making it 21-14.
With a field goal to make it 21-17 with 2:34 left in the half, Marshall got the ball back and scored a touchdown just before halftime to take the lead at the break.
An interception to start the half for the Wolfpack didn’t come back to hurt NC State, as the defense got a fourth down sack to get the ball back for the offense. Allen had a career-high 37-yard touchdown run to give NC State the lead on the immediate drive following.
Pennix continued his career day with the longest play of his career, a 62-yard catch and run, giving him his first two touchdown game with NC State and Morris’s third touchdown throw of the afternoon to give the Wolfpack the lead back at 35-31.
Brayden Narveson would nail two field goals to stretch the NC State lead before Concepcion secured his second score to put the game out of reach.
Up Next: The Wolfpack return to ACC play with a matchup at Duke next week, October 14th, at 8 pm broadcasted on the ACC Network.
