The N.C. State Wolfpack (2-0) spent the majority of Saturday night’s game against Richmond (1-1) with its back against the wall, but State fought back to win a nail-biter against the Spiders, 23-21.
In his first start for the Wolfpack, junior quarterback Pete Thomas completed 24 of 31 passes for 237 yards and two interceptions. Thomas also rushed for 47 yards on nine carries.
Freshman quarterback Bryant Shirreffs completed all three passes he threw. Shirreffs finished the night with 19 passing yards and one touchdown.
Junior running back Tony Creecy led the Pack in rushing yards with 56 on 12 attempts.
Freshman running back Matt Dayes ran the ball 14 times and earned 43 yards on the ground. Dayes also caught five passes for 47 yards and a touchdown.
Freshman wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling led State in receiving with eight catches for 87 yards. Redshirt senior wide receiver Rashard Smith caught seven passes for 63 yards.
The Pack struck first with a 46-yard field goal from junior placekicker Niklas Sade, but the Spiders would respond with three-yard touchdown catch from redshirt senior tight end Sam Roller.
State took the lead on the next drive off of a 28-yard rush from freshman quarterback Bryant Shirreffs, but a 14-yard score from Richmond redshirt junior wide receiver Stephen Barnette pushed the Spiders ahead, 14-10.
The Pack would be forced to punt on the next drive, and Richmond followed with seven-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Jacobi Green.
State ended the first half down 21-13 after Sade made a 19-yard field goal.
After recovering a Richmond fumble inside the Spiders’ 10-yard line in the third quarter, the Pack scored another touchdown as Shirreffs threw a seven-yard screen pass to freshman running back Matt Dayes to cut the deficit to one point.
State had a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter, but an interception by Spiders’ sophomore defensive back Ayo Ogunniyi cost the Pack on the possession.
But the State defense held strong, forcing the Spiders to punt on their next possession. The punt pinned State on its own 20 with 1:59 remaining in the game.
The Pack methodically pushed down the field on a drive that culminated on a 48-yard field goal by Sade with 0:33 remaining in the game.
State’s defense batted down a last-second hail mary attempt by the Spiders to win the game, 23-21.
The Wolfpack will return to action on Sept. 19 when it takes on the Clemson Tigers at Carter-Finley Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
