Five key plays in NC State’s loss to Syracuse

N.C. State was better than it was last week at Clemson but not good enough to beat Syracuse on the road on Saturday night.

The Orange rolled up 561 total yards and were superior on special teams in a 51-41 win over the 22nd-ranked Wolfpack.

There were many positives — the comeback after a slow start, the bounce back of star receiver Kelvin Harmon to name two — for N.C. State (5-2, 2-2 ACC) but there were more problems (pass coverage, penalties and pass protection).

Five key plays in N.C. State’s first loss to Syracuse since 2013:

1. Beginning of the end

Score: Syracuse 0, N.C. State 0

Time: 13:32 first quarter

Field position: 2nd and 4 at the Syracuse 40

Clemson carved up N.C. State’s secondary for 380 yards last week. Syracuse, as you would expect, would identify the same pressure points and attack them early.

On his first attempt of the game, Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey went after N.C. State freshman defensive back Tanner Ingle.

Dungey had freshman receiver Taj Harris in the slot, to his left, matched up on Ingle. Without any pressure from N.C. State’s defensive front, Dungey waited for Harris to work the middle of the field.

Ingle, whose strength has been in the run game, had help but Dungey made a great throw to Harris at the Syracuse 45 for a 24-yard gain.

Syracuse had seven “explosive” pass plays (2o yards or longer) in the game. Five came in the first quarter, three with Ingle as the primary coverage man.

This drive stalled, after a sack by linebacker Germaine Pratt, but Syracuse kicker Andre Szmyt made a 29-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

2. A little help goes a long way

Score: Syracuse 24, N.C. State 10

Time: 7:58 second quarter

Field position: 4th and 8 at the N.C. State 11

Syracuse’s defense was heating up N.C. State quarterback Ryan Finley in the first half with a variety of blitzes and pressures.

With starting right tackle Justin Witt out with an injury, the Orange had success going after Tyrone Riley, Witt’s replacement, in his first start.

The Orange hurried Finley into a poor throw on third down and got the Wolfpack offense off the field.

N.C. State’s A.J. Cole lined up to punt from his own end zone. The Orange gave Finley an extra chance, though, when diminutive receiver Sean Riley ran into Cole at the 1-yard line while trying to block the punt.

On the next play, Finley used two play fakes (the same play they ran with success at Marshall and against Virginia earlier this season) to buy some time. He was able to deliver a strike to Harmon for a 74-yard touchdown.

Finley struggled last week against Clemson. He rebounded with a career-high 473 yards (26 of 44 with three touchdowns) against the Orange.

Harmon had only two catches for 13 yards against Clemson, and a costly drop. The junior receiver bounced back with a gigantic game at Syracuse. Harmon finished with 11 catches for 247 yards (both career-bests).

3. Costly miss

Score: Syracuse 24, N.C. State 20

Time: :47 second quarter

Field position: 3rd and 7 at the N.C. State 36

As good as Finley and Harmon were, this miss on third down near the end of the half turned out to be costly.

Harmon was open in the middle of the field but Finley missed the throw high. Harmon jumped but couldn’t pull down what would have been a spectacular one-handed catch.

Cole came out to punt and didn’t get off a great kick (34 yards). Syracuse, with the help of one of five defensive pass interference penalties on N.C. State, was able to move into position before the end of the half for another Szmyt field goal.

N.C. State was penalized a season-high nine times for 95 yards. Seven of the penalties were on the defense.

Szmyt, a freshman who has been the best kicker in the ACC this season, made all three of field-goal attempts (29, 45 and 41). He leads the ACC in makes (21) and percentage (91.3).

Sterling Hofrichter was also excellent on kickoffs. He had eight touchbacks on nine kickoffs. N.C. State started every drive on its end of the field. Its best starting point, out of 13 drives, was its 27-yard line.

4. Third and forever

Score: Syracuse 41, N.C. State 34

Time: 12:38 fourth quarter

Field position: 3rd and 21 at the Syracuse 26

Even when N.C. State’s defense did get to Dungey, it struggled to stack up good plays. Pratt sacked Dungey on second down to set up a 3rd and 21.

Dungey was able to find Riley, who was matched up with Stephen Griffin, for a 29-yard gain to convert.

Griffin replaced Ingle at the nickel and Dungey picked on him, too. Riley, who is listed at 5-8, worked the middle of the field and Dungey threw a near perfect pass at the giant “S” logo at midfield.

Riley had 10 catches for 164 yards. Nykeim Johnson, also a smaller slot receiver (listed at 5-8), had seven catches for 136 yards. Their quickness was a major problem for State’s secondary.

This drive also ended with a field goal (a 41-yarder by Szmyt) to push Syracuse’s lead to 44-34.

5. Die with your fastball

Score: Syracuse 44, N.C. State 41

Time: 2:24 fourth quarter

Field position: 3rd and 10 at the N.C. State 15

N.C. State’s defense finally got the stop it needed. Finley got the ball back with 3:12 left and had a chance to pull off a win in a game N.C. State had trailed 24-7 in the first quarter and by 14 points twice in the fourth quarter.

To this point, Finley and Harmon had connected 10 times for 235 yards. With the game on the line, Finley wasn’t able to find Harmon. He didn’t even throw it to him once on three downs.

Now, Syracuse’s defense had something to do with that. The Orange pressured Finley on all three plays. On third down, defensive end Alton Robinson ran free around the left edge (past Riley) and didn’t give Finley much of a chance to even look at Harmon.

Finley makes a desperate attempt to find Jakobi Meyers instead and Syracuse linebacker Andrew Armstrong stepped in front of the pass at the 25 for a game-sealing interception.

Look, football is more complicated that it looks. We are all coaches on Twitter (or on the couch). I get that. But when the game is on the line — and given the way Harmon had been dominant and unstoppable to that point — you have to find a way to let him make a play.

The baseball axiom is “die with your fastball.” Meaning, if you get beat, at least you know they beat your best pitch. In this instance, N.C. State threw a changeup and paid for it.

This story was originally published October 28, 2018 at 12:21 PM.