Under the lights in a packed Carter-Finley Stadium, NC State football fumbled an opportunity to capture a signature win after squandering a 10-point lead. The Pack lost 13-10 to Louisville despite a strong defensive performance.
Offensive miscues and wasted possessions were the story of the Pack’s (3-2, 1-1 ACC) loss — especially in the second half. While the Cardinals (5-0, 3-0 ACC) stumbled through the game themselves, they did just enough to make the Wolfpack pay.
“The defense played extremely well, the offense did not,” head coach Dave Doeren said. “It’s pretty obvious what the issues were, between penalties and turnovers.”
With the Wolfpack unable to score in the second half, NC State found itself down 10-13 with less than two minutes left in the game with one final opportunity to seize the win. Starting on its own 34-yard line, NC State needed roughly 40 yards to tie the game with a field goal and 66 yards to win it. But on the first play of the drive, Armstrong floated a lazy pass into the air for an easy interception — sealing the game’s fate.
“These ones hurt a lot, [and] these guys are going to have a lot to do with what happens next,” Doeren said. “Good teams stick together during tough times. You have to stick together and pull for each other.”
Right from the opening kickoff, the game was a defensive battle through and through. Both teams combined for six consecutive punts to open the game before Louisville attempted a 52-yard field goal that fell short at the end of the first. With the crowd energized and the game tight, the Wolfpack looked ready for battle.
Now possessing the ball, it appeared that NC State was set for another short drive and punt. However, Doeren boldly sent his punt team onto the field — to pick up the first down. Graduate linebacker Payton Wilson took a direct snap and powered his way to three yards, just enough to move the chains for the red-and-white.
With a new air of confidence, the Pack marched down the field. Graduate quarterback Brennan Armstrong connected with sophomore receiver Terrell Timmons Jr. for a 20-yard gain to put the Pack in the red zone. A few plays later, redshirt junior running back Delbert Mimms III punched in the Wolfpack’s only touchdown of the night.
The game continued to trend in the right direction for NC State as redshirt sophomore safety Sean Brown forced a fumble on a strip-sack. On Louisville’s next drive, NC State’s defense forced a second turnover when redshirt junior cornerback Shyheim Battle picked off Louisville quarterback Jack Plummer. The Pack earned a field goal from this opportunity and entered halftime up 10-0.
“Sean is playing really well,” Doeren said. “He’s a good team player too; whatever we ask him to do, he does as hard as he can.”
NC State opened the second half with possession of the ball and proceeded to march straight down the field. Armstrong continued to build his chemistry with Timmons, completing a 45-yard bomb to set NC State up in the endzone. Just 15 yards away from taking a commanding, three-score lead, Armstrong tossed an interception to Louisville defensive back Cam’Ron Kelly. This play turned the tide of the game, allowing the Cardinals to claw their way back into the contest.
While the Cardinals failed to score, they played with a newfound confidence. Midway through the third quarter, Plummer threw an impressive throw to receiver Chris Bell for a 39-yard touchdown. On its next possession, Louisville nailed a field goal to even the score heading into the final quarter.
Both sides started the fourth quarter slowly, each turning the ball over. However, the Cardinals began to string together a drive midway through the fourth. Despite facing third-and-14, Plummer found Bell for a 38-yard gain in a backbreaking moment for the Wolfpack. The Cardinals got just inside field goal range and hit a 53-yard field goal to take the lead with under six minutes to play.
From there, it seemed as though NC State could rally to tie or even win the game. However, Armstrong’s interception had fans leaving their seats before it hit the defender’s hands, sealing the Pack’s second loss of the season.
The 13-10 loss was one that reaffirmed doubts of NC State’s offensive abilities. For the majority of the first half, Armstrong and the offense seemed to have difficulty getting on the same page. After only posting 17 total yards in the first quarter, the success of a fake punt in the second quarter proved to be a catalyst for the Pack’s only touchdown of the evening.
“We just have to stick together as a team,” Wilson said. “There is no team that wins when it’s offense versus defense. At the end of the day, our job is to stop them from scoring points.”
The Wolfpack will return to Carter-Finley on Saturday, Oct. 7 to take on the Marshall Thundering Herd. The game will kick off at 2 p.m. and will be broadcast on the CW Network.
