RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State took a 10-point lead on the first snap of the fourth quarter (41-31), but the #11 Miami Hurricanes scored the game’s final 13 points to come away with a 44-41 win at Carter-Finley Stadium.
The Pack (4-3) opened the game with points on four of its first five drives of the game, and held a 24-21 halftime lead.
On the first drive of the game, it was QB catching a 31-yard TD pass from WR Thayer Thomas, and on the next Pack drive Hockman threw an 11-yard TD pass to Devin Carter.
Miami (6-1) answered both drives by also scoring a TD on their two opening possessions, and the contest was tied 14-14 after the first quarter.
The Hurricanes took their first lead of the game with a third first-half TD, coming less then two minutes into the second quarter.
The Pack closed the half on a 10-0 run for the halftime lead. Christopher Dunn hit a 42-yard field goal, followed by Hockman hooking up with TE Cary Angeline for his team-leading sixth TD of the season with three minutes left in the half.
After a 36-yard Miami field goal to start the second half, the Pack answered that drive with a one-yard Zonovan Knight TD run to make it 31-24 midway through the third quarter.
Miami again evened the score on the ensuing drive, making it dead even at 31-31.
Just 15 seconds later, the Pack retook the lead going into the fourth quarter. RB Zonovan Knight took the kickoff back 100 yards for the Pack’s first kickoff return for a score since 2016.
On the first snap of the fourth quarter, Dunn tied a career-best with a 53-yard field goal to give the Pack a 41-31 lead.
The Hurricanes converted back-to-back field goals, and closed the Pack’s lead to 41-37 with 6:12 left in the game.
Miami captured the lead for good on a 54-yard TD pass with 2:43 remaining.
WOLFPACK SPOTLIGHT DRIVE
6 plays, 89 yards in 2:16 – Thayer Thomas to Bailey Hockman 31-yard TD
NC State took the game’s opening kick in for a score just over two minutes into the game. The highlight of the drive was a backwards pass to WR Thayer Thomas, who then found QB Baily Hockman down the sideline for a 31-yard TD score. On the drive, the Pack was a perfect 3-for-3 for 72 yards through the air.
The loss was the first for the Pack at home this season.
STAT LEADERS
• QB Bailey Hockman
19-of-28 for 248 yards, 2 TDs
1 catch, 31 yards, 1 TD
• RB Ricky Person, Jr.
12 rushes for 79 yards
• RB Zonovan Knight
13 rushes for 45 yards, 1 TD
100-yard kickoff return for TD
• WR Emeka Emezie
4 catches for 95 yards
• NIC/SAF Tyler Baker-Williams
14 tackles, 1 sack
NOTABLES
• Baily Hockman is the first Wolfpack QB to catch and throw a TD pass in the same game since Philip Rivers did so in 2000 vs. North Carolina. Hockman is also the first Pack QB with a TD reception since Rivers in that same contest.
• Ironically, Thayer Thomas is the last player to both throw and catch a TD pass in the same game – as he was the one who found Hockman for the 31-yard score in the first quarter.
• TE Cary Angeline surpassed his team-high total of five TD receptions from last season, with his sixth of the season coming in the first half. Angeline is now tied for second nationally among all tight ends with those six TD receptions.
• RB Zonovan Knight’s 100-yard kickoff return late in the third quarter was the first for a Pack player since Nyheim Hines did so in 2016 against Vanderbilt in the Independence Bowl. The 100-yard kickoff return ties the school record for the longest play, and is the fifth KOR to be returned 100 yards all-time.
• PK Christopher Dunn’s 53-yard field to open the fourth quarter was a career-long, the second 53-yard field goal he has hit this season (at Virginia Tech). Only three previous field goals have been longer in school history.
UP NEXT
The Pack will return home for a second straight night game at Carter-Finley Stadium next weekend, as NC State will play Florida State. Kick is set for 7:30 p.m., and the game will be televised on the ACC Network.
