Courtesy Gopack.com
RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State offense made its presence known in the Wolfpack’s home opener against Charleston Southern Saturday afternoon.
The Pack thrashed the Buccaneers 55-3, marking head coach Dave Doeren‘s 10th straight home-opener win. NC State also tallied its 11th straight win at Carter-Finley Stadium.
FIRST HALF (38-0)
The Pack scored on the eighth play of the game to start its scoring run. Kicker Christopher Dunn made his first 40-plus yard field goal of the day to give NC State an early 3-0 lead.
Devin Leary then tallied NC State’s first touchdown at home this season on a 12-yard keeper with 3:28 remaining in the first quarter. Leary added another rushing score on NC State’s next offensive possession before tossing scores to Jordan Houston, Anthony Smith and Delbert Mimms, III to stretch the Pack’s lead to 38-0 at the break.
SECOND HALF (55-3)
NC State turned the Buccaneers over on Charleston Southern’s fifth play from scrimmage in the second half when defensive end Travali Price recovered a fumble at the CSU 27-yard line. After Price recovered the fumble, Leary came in and threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to tight end Christopher Toudle for the Pack’s sixth straight touchdown.
Charleston Southern found its lone scoring opportunity in the third quarter after converting a 48-yard field goal. The Buccaneers threw two interceptions on the afternoon.
To start the fourth quarter, backup quarterback Jack Chambers found wide receiver Jalen Coit in the end zone to record the Pack’s seventh touchdown of the day.
DLeary DELIVERS
- Leary made his birthday a historic one as he tied the school record with touchdown responsibility in a game. He recorded four passing and two rushing. Philip Rivers (2002) and Mike Glennon (2011) were the only other two to do so. He tied his career total entering the game, both occurred in the 2021 season.
- He is the first quarterback with a pair of rushing scores in a game for the first time since 2019, when Matthew McKay did so against Ball State.
- Leary added to the history books by becoming only the fourth person since 1996 to record two passing and two rushing touchdowns. He joins Jacoby Brissett (2015), Russell Wilson (2010) and Philip Rivers (2002)
STAT LEADERS
QB Devin Leary
16-of-25 for 238 yards, 4 TD
K Christopher Dunn
7-of-7 on PATs
2-of-2 on FG
WR Julian Gray
3 catches for 34 yards
DB Derrek Pitts, Jr.
8 tackles, 7 solo stops
NOTABLES
- Kicker Christopher Dunn tied his career high seven extra-point conversions. He previously set his career high against East Carolina in 2018.
- Graduate transfer quarterback Jack Chambers recorded his first passing touchdown for the Pack against his former team.
- The last time the Pack scored 50-plus points was in 2018 against East Carolina when they scored 58.
- Fourteen receivers entered the game for NC State and three had five carries; five had one touchdown.
- Doeren recorded his tenth home-opener win.
- The Pack continued it home win-streak as it marked its 11th straight win at Carter-Finley Stadium.
UP NEXT
The Pack will host Texas Tech in an evening showdown next Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. and will be broadcasted live on ESPN2.
