Georgia Tech buries NC State’s bowl hopes
Cancel The “Bowl” Bowl plans.
Georgia Tech scotched a potential matchup of five-win N.C. State and five-win North Carolina next Saturday for a spot in the postseason.
The Wolfpack’s second-half rally fell short on Thursday night at Georgia Tech by a 2-point try in the fourth quarter. Quarterback James Graham threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in a 28-26 ACC home win for the Yellow Jackets.
The loss ends the Wolfpack’s bowl streak under coach Dave Doeren at five years.
“I feel bad for those seniors,” Doeren said. “I love those kids.”
N.C. State (4-7) had been 11-5 in the ACC the past two years but will take a 1-6 league mark into next week’s season-finale against the Tar Heels.
In the first matchup between the two ACC teams in Atlanta since 2010, the Yellow Jackets (3-8, 2-6 ACC) looked like a vintage George O’Leary team, throwing the ball all over Bobby Dodd Stadium and building a 21-3 lead at the half. They entered ranked No. 121 in the country in passing offense, and had only 81 passing yards in last week’s 45-0 home loss to Virginia Tech.
But Graham hit his first pass, on the first play of the game, for 54 yards. He had 120 passing yards in the first half and completed 6 of 10 passes. He had touchdown passes of 17, 13 and 11 yards and the Yellow Jackets led 21-3.
There was no sugar-coating the first half for the Wolfpack, which has lost five straight ACC games.
“It was horrible,” Doeren said.
But instead of making it worse, N.C. State fought back in the second half. And it was the ground game that got the Wolfpack back in it and some key defensive plays. Freshman running back Bam Knight ran for 100 yards and a touchdown and Jordan Houston added 89 rushing yards.
A 29-yard field goal by N.C. State kicker Chris Dunn made it 28-13 with 1:15 left in the third quarter. A fumble by Graham set up N.C. State’s next score.
N.C. State quarterback Devin Leary (19 of 31, 227 yards, no turnovers) hit tight end Cary Angeline for a 4-yard touchdown at 11:53 in the fourth quarter to cut Georgia Tech’s lead to 28-20.
N.C. State’s defense came up with a stop and gave Leary the ball back with 10:39 left. Leary led a 12-play, 80-yard drive, capped by a 1-yard TD run by Ricky Person with 5:17 left.
The 2-point try for the tie was supposed to be a pass to Angeline in the back of the end zone but Georgia Tech was able to rush Leary’s throw.
Instead of a winner-goes-bowling showdown with the Tar Heels next Saturday night, it will be the finale for the Wolfpack.
“It’s kind of tough to process right now,” receiver Tabari Hines said. “Next week will be our last game.”
First down
Graham fumbled in the first quarter. It was the first turnover in ACC play of the season for the Wolfpack defense.
Touchdown
The 12-play, 71-yard touchdown drive to open the third quarter was an encouraging response by N.C. State’s offense after a difficult first half.
Offsides
The secondary is thread bare, with injuries taking out the top four cornerbacks, but N.C. State has to figure out a way to be better than that against the worst passing offense in the ACC.
Graham (7 of 15, 129 yards, three TDs) only completed one pass in the second half but he did enough damage with his legs (112 rushing yards).
“We didn’t do a good enough job on their quarterback,” Doeren said. “His legs hurt and obviously a couple of the deep throws.”
Making sense of the numbers
3 Graham had three passing touchdowns in the previous five home games combined. He had three in the first half.
88 Yards receiving for N.C. State’s Tabari Hines on four catches. He had 74 total receiving yards in the previous six games.
This story was originally published November 21, 2019 at 11:19 PM.
