Following last week’s game that featured a nearly two-hour weather delay and a fourth-quarter meltdown, this was a nice change of pace for NC State football.
The sun was out, the weather was nice the whole time and NC State was in control from beginning to end, making quick work of VMI 45-7.
The Wolfpack (2-1) scored touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams and dominated the Keydets (1-2) in nearly every aspect of a game that was all but over by halftime.
“It was great to get a win and play so many guys — things we really wanted to focus on,” said head coach Dave Doeren. “I felt like we improved in those areas. No turnovers on offense, score in all three phases. … To get a touchdown in all three phases is really good for the guys.”
After quickly shutting the Keydets down on their first drive, the NC State offense wasted no time in reaching the endzone. Graduate quarterback Brennan Armstrong captained a methodical and ruthless 12-play drive while redshirt running back Delbert Mimms III capped it off with a two-yard rushing touchdown, his first of two on the day.
Things didn’t get much better for the Keydets on their next drive. Graduate nickelback Robert Kennedy executed a tip drill on 3rd and long to perfection. After intercepting VMI quarterback Collin Shannon, Kennedy bobbed and weaved his way to the endzone for six points to double NC State’s lead.
“It was really amazing because that was my first pick-6 in Division I college ball — I’m still feeling it, to be honest,” Kennedy said. “They weren’t really going to try to go deep on us, so I kind of anticipated the slant. Whenever he dropped it, once I got the ball in my hands, it’s just trying to score. It’s not anything else.”
The Pack quickly moved the ball down the field again on its next offensive drive when Armstrong connected with redshirt sophomore receiver Julian Gray on a 64-yard pass play, then threw a 16-yard dime to the back of the endzone for graduate receiver Bradley Rozner, his second of the season. That made the score 21-0 and essentially put the game out of reach.
After a game last week in which he threw three interceptions and received much criticism from the fanbase, Armstrong had a nice bounce-back performance against a lesser opponent with 264 yards through the air on 27-32 passing, a touchdown and 39 yards rushing. Despite the outside noise, the sixth-year college veteran showed that he is the man for the Pack, for now.
“This game was kind of our bounce-back game after coming off a hard loss against Notre Dame and not playing well, especially offensively,” Armstrong said. “This is a great game for us just to get back on track and play efficiently.”
A field goal and another touchdown by Mimms padded the lead to 31-0 in the second quarter. By the halftime break, most of the fans in the stands had left.
The Keydets avoided the shutout with a touchdown in the third quarter, but the Pack responded right back with a special teams score. On the ensuing kickoff, redshirt sophomore receiver Julian Gray took a slow dribbler up the right sideline, bounced off a couple of defenders and took it all the way for six.
Earlier in the game, another touchdown return by Gray was negated because of a penalty, but when he was given another chance, he would not be denied a second time.
“I hope to take every return to the house,” Gray said. “With this one, I don’t really think it was anything too different. After I got to the second level, I turned on the jets, and it was over with after that.”
The Pack added one more touchdown by the end of the game on a goal-line rush by redshirt junior running back Demarcus Jones to make it 45-7, which wasn’t quite enough to cover the pregame spread of 43.5.
While Armstrong passed his way to 264 yards through the air, the Wolfpack’s ground game allowed the home side to control the contest through and through. NC State churned out a whopping 234 yards on the ground with several of its backs. While Mimms found the endzone twice, freshman running back Kendrick Raphael took over in the second half and finished the game with 16 carries for 85 yards.
Meanwhile, his fellow freshman, wide receiver Kevin Concepcion, led the Wolfpack in receiving yards with seven catches for 72 yards.
After clobbering the Keydets at home, NC State is set to begin its ACC campaign at Armstrong’s old stomping grounds of Virginia. With the graduate slated to return home for an emotional matchup, he’s treating it just like any other game.
“It’s gonna be awesome,” Armstrong said. “I’m gonna treat this week just like every other week — prepare, get ready for them. And then just take it all in when I get there, right? Whatever happens, happens. I’m just here to play a ball game and just enjoy the moment.”
Kickoff against the Cavaliers is set for 7 p.m. in Charlottesville, Virginia.
