NC State football closed out the 2018 regular season in fine fashion Saturday, beating ECU 58-3 at Carter-Finley Stadium. This season marks the third time in program history the Wolfpack has finished the regular season with nine wins.
Graduate quarterback Ryan Finley completed 32 of 44 pass attempts for 409 yards, three touchdowns and a pick for the Wolfpack (9-3), which had 655 yards of total offense in the win. Multiple players set school records against the Pirates (3-9), as senior running back Reggie Gallaspy now owns the single-season total touchdown record, redshirt junior receiver Jakobi Meyers the single-season reception record and freshman kicker Chris Dunn the field goal record.
“A lot of fun stuff happened in that game,” head coach Dave Doeren said. “This is a really good football team. This is the third time in school history we’ve won nine games during the regular season. … We put up 58 points and 655 yards. We were scoring touchdowns and breaking records with a ton of players and it was an absolute blast.”
Meyers is the team’s second 1,000-yard receiver this season, joining junior Kelvin Harmon. This is the first time in school history NC State has had two 1,000-yard receivers in the same season.
“For us to have two 1000-yard receivers, which has never been done here, t’s a tribute to our whole entire offensive staff,” Finley said. “Our whole entire offense makes that happen.”
Following a first quarter that saw NC State take a 17-0 lead on an early field goal and touchdowns from Harmon and Gallaspy, the rout was on. Harmon’s score came on a spectacular grab that put NC State up 10-0.
The Wolfpack tacked on an early second-quarter touchdown that saw Meyers juke out a defender and cut back to make it 24-0. Meyers finished the game with 13 catches for 163 yards and a touchdown. His 89 catches on the season sets the school single-season record.
The Wolfpack took a 27-0 lead to the half, and never looked back. Gallaspy’s third-quarter score, his 19th total touchdown of the season, that put NC State up 41-0 set the school record for total touchdowns in a single season, and tied the rushing touchdown record at 18.
“The fact that I was able to help the team win that’s the thing that I’m proud of,” Gallaspy said. “Being able to do things like that with a great group of guys, that’s all that matters to me. All the accolades, it’s there, I’ll be proud of it. But the bond that you have with the brothers you have spent four or five years with is the most important thing.”
It was also a banner day for NC State’s defense. The Wolfpack held ECU to just 73 passing yards and 31 rushing yards. NC State had two sacks, seven tackle for loss and forced three turnovers, including a first-half pick for junior corner Nick McCloud at the goal line that he ran back to the 25. The Pack’s shutout was only broken by a field goal in the dying second of the game to give ECU its only points in the game.
The milestones continued for NC State as the second half went along. A 26-yard field goal from Dunn gave him 21 on the season, setting the school record for made field goals in a single season.
“It’s an amazing moment,” Dunn said. “I’m still taking it all in. Being able to hit that field goal to set the record and then be able to take it in with [senior punter A.J. Cole], [senior long snapper Tyler Griffiths] and the whole line really. It was just amazing, but I’m still trying to develop and keep getting better.”
An 86-yard run for Gallaspy in the fourth quarter put him at 220 rushing yards in the game and over 1,000 on the season, marking the third straight season NC State has had a 1,000-yard back. Following his landmark carry a chorus of “Reggie” chants broke out among the Wolfpack faithful.
“It’s like he’s become the spirit of our team with everything that he’s gone through,” Doeren said. “He’s so tough and it’s been a special season.”
Graduate center Garrett Bradbury scored a 1-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter, followed by an enthusiastic celebration that saw senior guard Terronne Prescod punt the ball into the stands.
“I gave it to him [Prescod],” Bradbury said. “We’ve been talking for awhile about what the celebration would be. He’s been begging me to give him the ball so that he could punt it. He wanted to show some versatility as a player.”
NC State’s next game will come in a bowl game next month; the Wolfpack will find out where it’s going Sunday.
“I think we deserve to be in an elite bowl game,” Doeren said. “I know our fans will travel to support us wherever we’re going. We’re really excited for the opportunity to play a great opponent and we hope we get selected for a great bowl game. We look forward to finding out tomorrow where we’re going.
