Did you miss the NC State game? Five key plays from the win over Virginia

N.C. State got its running game cranked up with a splash from freshman Ricky Person.

Person’s 108-yard performance helped lead the Wolfpack to a 35-21 win over Virginia.

Five key plays from N.C. State’s ACC win:

1. Fourth-down confusion

Score: N.C. State 10, Virginia 7

Time: 1:47 second quarter

Field position: 4th and 1 at the Virginia 16

This was a good break for N.C. State and then just a super odd reaction by both teams while the referees were reviewing the play.

Wolfpack quarterback Ryan Finley went under center and tried to sneak between center Garrett Bradbury and right guard Joe Sculthorpe for the first down.

Finley tried to push forward but lost control of the ball. Running back Reggie Gallaspy tried to jump on the ball in the scrum.

Referee Gary Patterson ruled Finley recovered the fumble and picked up the first down. During the review of the play, the Virginia defense and then the N.C. State offense both actually left the field.

Virginia’s offense came on, while Patterson was still talking with the replay booth, as did the Wolfpack defense.

Then Patterson started his explanation, and that the call was upheld, and it was a first down for the Wolfpack.

It was weird the way both teams were kind of eavesdropping and Patterson’s huddle and somehow deduced it would be Virginia ball. But they were wrong.

After a short run by Gallaspy, Finley found tight end Cary Angeline for a 14-yard touchdown to give N.C. State a 17-7 lead.

2. Nick McCloud jumps the out

Score: N.C. State 17, Virginia 7

Time: 0:40 second quarter

Field position: 2nd and 5 at the Virginia 43

Virginia quarterback Bryce Perkins tried to cram the ball into receiver Hasise Dubois on a quick out pattern at the first-down marker.

N.C. State cornerback Nick McCloud, who was in press coverage, knew what Perkins wanted to do and beat Dubois to the ball.

It was the first interception of the season for McCloud, who had a fumble recovery to set up a field goal before the half in last week’s win at Marshall.

With 35 seconds, and the ball near midfield, Finley was able to pick up 15 yards and give freshman kicker Chris Dunn a chance.

Dunn, who made three chip-shot field goals against Marshall, snuck a season-best 44-yarder inside the goalpost on the last play of the half to push N.C. State’s lead to 20-7.

3. Three and out

Score: N.C. State 20, Virginia 7

Time: 14:13 third quarter

Field position: 2nd and 6 at the Virginia 25

N.C. State has been sluggish in the third quarter this season. The Wolfpack avoided any such second-half restart problems on Saturday.

The defense forced a quick three-and-out on Virginia’s first possession of the second half.

Linebacker Isaiah Moore blitzed from Perkins’ left. The Virginia quarterback tried to run to his right but defensive end James Smith-Williams slipped off of his blocker and grabbed Perkins at the 15-yard line and threw him down for an 11-yard loss.

The Wahoos punted and Finley led a 10-play, 76-yard touchdown drive on N.C. State’s first possession of the second half.

4. Rickey Person’s big day

Score: N.C. State 27, Virginia 14

Time: 8:37 fourth quarter

Field position: 2nd and 3 at the Virginia 44

N.C. State counts runs that go 10 yards or longer as “explosive plays.” In the first three games, the Wolfpack had a total of six explosive runs.

Freshman Ricky Person had four against the Wahoos. The last one, went for 38 yards and pushed him over the 100-yard mark on the game.

With tight end Dylan Autenrieth in front of him in the backfield, Person found on the left side of N.C. State’s offensive line.

He got a good lead block from Autenrieth and just enough of a seal by left tackle Tyler Jones on the outside to find daylight.

Person wasn’t touched until he was almost 20 yards down field. He made a cut back at the 25 and then was caught from behind by linebacker Charles Snowden at the 9.

He was able to drag Snowden for about 5 yards but couldn’t finish off the run with a touchdown.

Receiver Kelvin Harmon would handle the scoring honors, after a holding penalty by Jones, moved the Wolfpack offense back to the 16-yard line.

5. Larrell Murchison repeat

Score: N.C. State 35, Virginia 21

Time: 2:45 fourth quarter

Field position: 1st and 10 at the N.C. State 30

Virginia refused to go away, even after it trailed 27-7 and 35-14. The Wahoos got a 7-yard touchdown run from Jordan Ellis with 3:08 left in the game and then recovered the onside kick.

N.C. State coach Dave Doeren spent a lot of time in training camp praising the practice efforts of defensive tackle Larrell Murchison. The junior-college transfer showed why Doeren was saying all of those nice things.

Perkins picked up a 20-yard gain on the first play of the drive. Then Murchison beat left tackle Ryan Nelson for his second sack of the game, a 7-yard loss.

Two plays later, Murchison got Perkins again. This time he beat center Dillon Reinkensmeyer and corralled Perkins for a 3-yard loss.

Murchison finished with three sacks, four tackles for loss and six total tackles.

This story was originally published September 30, 2018 at 5:23 PM.