Wolfpack Rewind: A Day for the Defense
The NC State football team went on the road for the third straight week on Saturday and came home with its second straight win, improving its better-than-expected start to 3-1.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Wolfpack's 38-21 victory at Virginia is how it differed from the first two.
While State's opening week win against Wake Forest was a triumph of a potent running attack and last week's win at Pittsburgh was earned on the strength of Devin Leary's arm and a gritty comeback, this was a game in which the defense took center stage.
Here's a look back at the good, the bad and the offbeat from productive trip to Charlottesville:
THE GOOD
Every time State's offense needed a pick-me-up Saturday, its defense came through with a big play. It's a pattern that started early. After an apparent touchdown was taken off the board by an official review and Christopher Dunn missed his first field goal of the year, freshman Shyheim Battle came up with an interception that turned into the Wolfpack's first score. It was one of four turnovers forced by State. The defense also put together its second dramatic goal line stand in as many weeks by stopping two plays from inside the 1-yard line. In the second half, the defense responded to Leary's interception in the end zone with a quick three-and-out to get the ball back. Then, after UVa cut into what was once a 24-0 lead down to 24-14, nose tackle Alim McNeill put the game away by intercepting a pass he batted into the air and rumbling into the end zone for the clinching touchdown.
THE BAD
For the second straight week, a State player was ejected for targeting. Last week it was freshman Joshua Pierre-Louis, whose high hit on Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett nullified a pick six by teammat Jakeen Harris. This time is was senior safety Tanner Ingle, who was sent to the sidelines late in the first half for launching himself helmet first into UVa quarterback Brennan Armstrong as he was going out of bounds on a run. Armstrong was injured on the play and didn't return and an already thin-secondary had to play the remainder of the game without its co-captain -- who was leading the team with six tackles to that point.
THE OFFBEAT
Virginia backup quarterback Lindell Stone, who performed well after Armstrong's injury by completing 30 of 53 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns -- to go along with McNeill's pick six -- wears jersey No. 36.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Zonovan Knight came close to the 100-yard plateau in two of State's first three games this season. Saturday at Virginia, sophomore running back finally got over the hump, rushing for 101 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. It's a performance that was highlighted by an explosive 35-yard touchdown run over left tackle that gave the Wolfpack a 24-0 lead late in the first half. Then after UVa turned the ball over on downs in the fourth quarter, Knight gained 18 of the 23 yards on State's final drive for an exclamation point score.
STAT OF THE WEEK
Dunn had his streak of 14 straight made field goals -- the third-longest in school history -- snapped during the first quarter when his 51-yard attempt hit the crossbar. He also missed 37 yards out in the fourth period. It was the only streak of 14 that ended Saturday. When Devin Leary was intercepted in the end zone on the opening series of the second half, it ended a string of 14 consecutive red zone possessions in which State came away with points.
UNSUNG HEROES
A lot was made in the days leading up to the game about how the Wolfpack would defend UVa's 6-foot-7 receiver Laval Davis Jr. and tight end Tony Poljan. Although both the super-sized pass catchers came down with touchdown receptions, State corners Shyheim Battle, Malik Dunbar, Cecil Powell and Ayden White did a nice job of limiting their effectiveness. Between them, they combined for 16 tackles, four of the Wolfpack's seven pass breakups and an interception.
INJURY REPORT
State played the game without backup offensive lineman Timothy McKay, who was injured last week against Pittsburgh while several others -- including offensive tackle Justin Witt, defensive end Daniel Joseph and tight end Dylan Parham -- were in active as well, although it was not specified whether they were held out because of injury, positve COVID-19 tests or contact tracing. Otherwise, the Wolfpack came out of the game relatively healthy, although Powell had to be helped off the field on UVA's final possession.
THEY SAID IT
"We’re nowhere near where we want to be obviously, but as each week goes we're growing better and better together. Once we reach our peak, where we want to be, it’s going to be scary. Y'all are definitely seeing us become one of those top-tier defenses." Nose tackle Alim McNeill
"We have tremendous confidence. I think we can be truly top in the ACC this year. I think we could’ve done that last year. It's just a matter of this year having true leadership, not guys that just when they play good want to lead. This year, even if they’re not playing anything like that, they’re still trying to lead and motivate players when they are on the field, even on the practice field. I think that’s the difference between this year and last year." Running back Zonovan Knight
NEXT UP
After three straight weeks on the road, the Wolfpack finally returns to Carter-Finley Stadium next Saturday for its first meeting with Duke since 2013. Game time is 3:30 p.m. with television coverage on the ACC's regional sports networks. In addition to being the Wolfpack's first home game since its opener on Sept. 19, it's also the first game in which a limited number of fans will be allowed to attend.
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