CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The NC State football team earned a 30-27 double overtime victory at No. 18 North Carolina on Friday night at Kenan Stadium.
Christopher Dunn connected on a 21-yard field goal to open the second overtime before North Carolina kicker Noah Burnette missed a 35-yarder to seal the NC State victory.
The win not only marks back-to-back thrilling victories over the Tar Heels, but it moves the Wolfpack to 2-1 in overtime matchups against North Carolina and 1-0 in the first double overtime meeting between the two programs.
FIRST HALF (17-10 NC State)
After forcing a North Carolina three-and-out to open the game, NC State needed just three plays to march 67 yards for the opening score of the game. The Pack capped off the quick touchdown drive with a 2-yard touchdown rush by Jack Chambers, giving NC State a 7-0 lead.
North Carolina trimmed NC State’s lead to 7-3 when Burnette connected on a 37-yarder with 5:13 left in the first quarter. After a pair of scoreless drives, the Pack extended its lead to 14-3 when starting quarterback Ben Finley found Terrell Timmons, Jr. in the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown pass with 12:38 left in the second quarter.
The Tar Heels answered later in the second quarter when Elijah Green rushed for a 9-yard touchdown, cutting the Pack lead to 14-10. A 29-yard field goal from Dunn as time expired in the first half pushed NC State’s lead to 17-10 at the break.
SECOND HALF (24-24)
The Wolfpack and Tar Heels both went scoreless in the third quarter. Dunn missed his first field goal of the season late in the third quarter when his 43-yard attempt sailed wide left.
After missing a 27-yard field goal with 10:37 remaining in the fourth quarter, North Carolina tied the game at 17-17 on its next offensive possession when quarterback Drake Maye rushed for a 14-yard score on third down.
Safety Tanner Ingle flipped the momentum with less than four minutes remaining when he picked off Maye’s pass at the North Carolina 29-yard line. Defensive end Davin Vann tipped Maye’s pass before Ingle made the diving interception. Three plays later, Finley hit Devin Carter for a 26-yard touchdown on third down, putting the Pack ahead 24-17 following Dunn’s PAT.
North Carolina tied the game on the last play of regulation when Maye found Antoine Green in the back of the end zone for a 4-yard score. Burnette’s PAT tied the game and sent it to overtime tied at 24-24.
OVERTIME (NC State 30-27)
In the first overtime, Burnette connected from 26 yards out to give North Carolina a 27-24 lead. Dunn answered Burnette’s field goal with a 31-yarder to tie the game at 27-27.
In the second overtime, Dunn connected on a 21-yarder before Burnette hooked his 35-yard attempt wide left.
STAT LEADERS
QBBen Finley
27-of-40 for 271 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
RBMichael Allen
12 rushes for 53 yards
WR Devin Carter
6 catches for 130 yards, 1 TD
DB Tanner Ingle
9 tackles, 4 solo stops, 0.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception
LB Drake Thomas
10 tackles, 7 solo stops, 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss
LB Payton Wilson
11 tackles, 8 solo stops, 1 tackle for loss, 2 quarterback hurries
NOTABLES
– NC State moves to 2-1 in overtime games against the Tar Heels in Friday’s 30-27 double overtime victory. The Wolfpack won the most recent overtime matchup entering Friday in a 34-28 win in Chapel Hill in 2018. Friday’s matchup was also the first game to go to more than one overtime in the series history and is NC State’s first double overtime matchup since a 27-21 victory over No. 9 Clemson in 2021.
– NC State finishes the regular season as one of just three teams (entering Saturday’s slate of games) to allow 30 points or less in each game this season. In the playoff era, the only four ACC teams to do it in all 12 regular-season games are 2015 Florida State, 2019 Clemson and 2021 Clemson.
– The Wolfpack’s 14 straight games without allowing more than 30 points also ranks first in the nation (Georgia can tie that streak at 14 on Saturday against Georgia Tech). Since 2010, only Clemson (4x) and Miami (2016-17) have longer streaks.
– NC State’s streak of 14 straight games without allowing more than 30 points is its longest streak since an 18-game streak stretching from a 16-13 win at Clemson on Oct. 27, 1979, to a 31-10 win over East Carolina on Sept. 19, 1981.
– In his first-career start, Ben Finley completed 27-of-40 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Finley connected with 10 different receivers in the victory.
– Devin Carter set a new season-high in receiving yards with 130 yards and a touchdown on Friday, surpassing a previous season-high of 63 yards against UConn earlier this season.
– With 12:38 remaining in the second quarter, quarterback Ben Finley connected with Terrell Timmons, Jr. for a 28-yard touchdown. The 28-yard touchdown reception was the first of Timmons’ career.
– NC State’s opening touchdown drive marked its third fastest touchdown scoring drive of the season. The Pack marched 67 yards on three plays, needing just 49 seconds to take a 7-0 lead. NC State’s first and second fastest offensive touchdown drives came on just one play against Texas Tech and UConn, respectively.
– With 12 points on the night, Wolfpack kicker Christopher Dunn is now the ACC’s all-time scoring leader. Dunn entered Friday’s game with 467 points, trailing just former Clemson running back Travis Etienne with 468 points. He finished the night with 479 points.
– With the win, NC State is now 14-9 against North Carolina since 2000. Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren moves to 6-4 in the series against the Tar Heels. The Wolfpack has now won back-to-back games against the Heels following last year’s 34-30 comeback victory in Raleigh.
– NC State finishes the regular season with a perfect 3-0 record against in-state opponents, knocking off No. 20 Wake Forest at home while also earning road victories at East Carolina and No. 18 North Carolina.
– Even with two overtime periods, NC State’s defense held North Carolina to a season-low 351 total yards of offense. The Tar Heels averaged just 3.9 yards per play.
