Sindy Huang
Graduate quarterback Ryan Finley winds up to throw the ball at the Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida on Monday, Dec. 31. NC State lost to Texas A&M 52-13.
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA — In the second quarter of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Monday, things were looking good for NC State football. Thanks to a couple key plays from its defense, the Wolfpack held a 13-7 lead and momentum, with a chance to extend the lead further. That’s when things went awry in a 52-13, season-ending loss to Texas A&M.
After a 49-yard field goal from freshman kicker Chris Dunn (a career long for him) gave NC State a six-point lead, the Pack came up with a turnover on downs thanks to senior defensive end Darian Roseboro stuffing Aggies stud running back Trayveon Williams on fourth and 1.
The Pack got the ball at its own 27-yard line, with a chance to drive for a two-score lead. Instead, NC State went three and out, and momentum shifted to the Aggies.
Texas A&M responded, scoring two touchdowns before the break to take an 8-point lead to halftime.
“It hurts,” Doeren said. “They jumped out on us; our guys rallied us back into the game. Chris Dunn made a couple kicks, [redshirt sophomore receiver C.J. Riley] made a nice touchdown catch and the defense had a stop. We just weren’t able to make that a score on that drive.”
The Pack had a chance to get back in the game as it received the second-half kickoff, but a pick six by graduate quarterback Ryan Finley put the Aggies up by 15 and took the wind out of the Wolfpack’s sails. A quick scoring drive by Texas A&M then pretty much put things out of reach at 35-13.
“We got into a rhythm early, which was nice,” Finley said. “We were moving the ball and we were running the ball. We ran the ball really well at times. We just kind of had that costly pick, that pick six that really flipped the momentum, I thought. We can’t really have that.”
While the Pack came out with a dismal showing in the second half, the game could have had a different complexion coming into it.
Following a 62-yard rushing touchdown for Aggies quarterback Kellen Mond on the game’s first drive, the Pack scored 13 unanswered points.
The aforementioned Dunn field goal was set up by Roseboro’s big stop, and the Pack scored its lone touchdown of the game thanks to an interception by senior defensive tackle Eurndraus Bryant at Texas A&M’s 27-yard line.
The Pack had an opportunity to capitalize on that momentum shift, but it couldn’t.
The defense made plays to give the offense an opportunity to extend the first-half lead, but it couldn’t execute, setting up the nightmare finish to NC State’s final game of the season.