NC State Edges Football, 35-30, After Wild Second Half

Saturday, November 30

Chapel Hill

3:30 PM

North Carolina

NC State

Photo by: AINSLEY E. FAUTH

November 30, 2024 | Football

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By: Matt Bowers

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.— NC State outscored North Carolina, 28-24, in a crazy second half and beat the Tar Heels, 35-30, in the regular season finale for both teams on Saturday afternoon at Kenan Stadium. The Wolfpack scored 17 points in the final 8:01 of the fourth quarter for its fourth consecutive victory over Carolina.

The game was a defensive struggle early as NCSU led, 7-6, after a sluggish first half. The Tar Heels scored a pair of touchdowns for a 20-13 lead with 2:19 left in the third quarter, but State outscored UNC, 22-10 in the final 17:19 to grab the win.

After the teams combined for just 13 total points in the first half, they scored 52 after halftime.

"We just realized what they were giving us," said Carolina quarterback Jacolby Criswell of the frantic second half. "I told guys, 'I'm going to give y'all a ball.' There were some times where I missed some throws, but that happens to every single quarterback. I told them, 'I'm going to give y'all a chance, you go make a play, and have fun doing it.'"

Criswell completed 18 of 33 passing attempts for 273 yards and three touchdowns. His strong day included scoring tosses of 50 yards to Chris Culliver and 47 to Omarion Hampton.

The Wolfpack won to become bowl eligible, improving to 6-6 overall and 3-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Carolina lost its second game in a row and fell to 6-6, 3-5.

Hampton, who entered the game ranked third nationally in rushing yards per game, continued his dominant 2024 campaign, rumbling for 185 yards on 22 carries (8.4 per carry) to give him 1,660 this fall (second-most in UNC history). Including his four catches for 78 yards and a score, he posted 233 total yards to wrap up his stellar season in style. With 15 rushing touchdowns in both 2023 and 2024, he is the only player in UNC history with at least 15 TDs on the ground in multiple seasons.

Hampton is the fourth ACC player in the last 20 years to have back-to-back 1,500-yard rushing campaigns. The others were Clemson's Travis Etienne, Florida State's Dalvin Cook and Louisville's Lamar Jackson. Etienne (2018-19) was the last FBS player with consecutive 1,500-yard rushing years. A Tar Heel rushed for at least 100 yards in 11 of 12 games this season, including 10 times by Hampton (tied for the most 100-yard games in a season in school history).

CJ Bailey threw for 242 yards on 14 of 20 passing with two TDs and an interception for NC State. The Wolfpack tallied 27 first downs to UNC's 17 and converted all six of its red zone opportunities.

The game marked the final home appearance for Tar Heel head coach Mack Brown. Athletic director Bubba Cunningham announced on November 26 that Brown would not return to the Carolina sideline in 2025. Brown announced after the game he would not coach the team during its likely upcoming bowl game.

"[Our players] lose their coach on Tuesday, and in the modern day landscape, that means that you've got an agent, you've got a transfer portal, you've got people calling you," said Brown after the game. "I'm absolutely amazed that they were able to compete like they did tonight, play as hard as they did with all the pressure on them and with the uncertainty in their future. So I'm really, really proud of them.

"I wish we'd won the game. Their freshman quarterback [Bailey] made some really good plays down the stretch. Our guys made plays down the stretch. The one turnover hurt us, obviously, as a 10-yard touchdown, but again, it's a great game from two rivals like it should be, and that's that. I mean, that's the way you'd like to see this game played.

"I've spent 16 years at this place out of my 36 as a head coach. I love the state of North Carolina. We love the mountains, we love the beach, we love Chapel Hill. The university has been a huge part of my life, and we have unbelievable friends here. We've got lifetime friends here, and that will never change. Most people will never get to be a head coach when you spend 16 years here, that's most of your life, when you think about it. I've loved my time. I want to thank the players, the staff and the coaches. I want to thank the fans and thank my friends, because there's just so many here that have done so much for us and that I just love seeing.

"I want to thank athletics director [Bubba] Cunningham for bringing me here in my late 60s. A lot of people wouldn't have done that. I didn't realize that it would be a hassle. I thought we'd probably stay three to five years, and then we're having fun and helping the kids and start winning some games. And it was all good. But as I said, Sally and I both agreed that it was time for leadership change at the top."

How It Happened
First Quarter
• The Wolfpack's Davin Vann posted a strip sack and State's Sean Brown recovered the fumble by Criswell with 3:00 remaining in the first quarter, taking over possession at the Tar Heel 11-yard line.
• Two plays later and after a UNC pass interference penalty, Holywood Smothers ran it in from two yards out for a 7-0 NCSU lead.
• Both teams had fewer than 65 total yards in a sluggish first quarter. The Tar Heels had zero first downs and just 26 total yards while averaging 2.0 yards per play. The Pack had 62 yards and led, 7-0, after 15 minutes.

Second Quarter
• UNC dominated the second quarter, getting on the board with a touchdown midway through the period when Criswell connected with J.J. Jones for a 17-yard scoring pass that capped an 11-play, 70-yard drive in 5:41. Noah Burnette missed the extra point, allowing the Wolfpack to retain a 7-6 lead.
• Burnette missed a 44-yard field goal try with 41 seconds remaining, leaving the score 7-6 NCSU at the half.

Third Quarter
• State's Koanoah Vinesett hit a 41-yard field goal with 10:01 left in the third period, only to see Hampton race untouched up the middle for a 75-yard score on the Tar Heels' first play from scrimmage.
• It was the longest run of Hampton's career and gave Carolina its first lead of the game at 13-10 with 9:50 to go in the third.
• Vinesett hit a 40-yard field goal with 5:46 left in the third to tie the score at 13.
• The Tar Heels scored their second straight touchdown eight plays later when Criswell connected with Chris Culliver for a 50-yard score down the right sideline with 2:19 remaining in the period.
• The score was 20-13 Carolina entering the fourth quarter.

Fourth Quarter
• Less than a minute into the fourth, Bailey tied the game with a 14-yard TD toss to Isaiah Shirley.
• Carolina's resurgent, second half passing attack sliced through the Wolfpack defense, leading to a 25-yard field goal by Burnette. His kick careened off the right upright before going through the posts for a 23-20 UNC lead with 12:29 remaining.
• Continuing the back-and-forth final 20 minutes of the game, State retook the lead when Bailey hit KC Concepcion for a 13-yard score. The Pack missed the extra point try, making the score 26-23 NCSU with 8:01 to go.
• Bailey completed a big pass to Dacari Collins, who used a double move and a missed UNC tackle to gain 43 yards to the UNC 20. State took a 29-23 lead with a field goal five plays later and 2:37 on the clock.
• Just after the two minute warning, Criswell hit Hampton for a 47-yard shovel pass for a TD to make the score 30-29 UNC with 1:51 left.
• On a first-and-20 play, Bailey connected with Noah Rogers for a 44-yard completion through double coverage and down to the Carolina 17. Three plays later, Smothers ran it in from two yards out for a 35-30 NCSU lead with 25 seconds to go.

Up Next
Carolina has completed its 2024 regular season and awaits word on a potential bowl bid.

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Gallery: (11-30-2024) NCSU 35 - UNC 30