N.C. State bounced back from a tough loss to Clemson in its conference opener last Thursday by defeating Central Michigan 48-14 on Saturday afternoon at Carter-Finley Stadium.
The Wolfpack used dominating defense and an explosive running game to improve its record to 3-1 on the season. The Pack outgained the Chippewas 483-259, getting 239 of those yards on the ground.
After the Wolfpack offense went three-and-out on the game’s opening drive, State’s defense opened the scoring when linebacker D.J. Green returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown on the Chippewas’ second play from scrimmage.
Green jumped in front of a pass by CMU quarterback Cooper Rush and went untouched into the end zone to give the Pack a 7-0 lead just 2:44 into the game. It was one of three interceptions by the Wolfpack.
State doubled its lead with 11:08 remaining in the second quarter when sophomore running back Shadrach Thornton took a handoff from redshirt junior quarterback Pete Thomas and scampered 29 yards for a touchdown. Thornton’s run punctuated a nine-play, 68-yard drive and put State ahead 14-0. It was the sophomore’s second touchdown run of the season
After the defense forced a three-and-out from CMU, the Wolfpack struck again barely two minutes later as freshman running back Matt Dayes scored on a 42-yard rush, making the score 21-0. State outrushed Central Michigan 182-5 in the first half and rolled up 284 yards of total offense.
Senior wide receiver Rashard Smith got into the act, as he returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown to give the Pack a 28-0 lead. Smith patiently waited for his blockers to set up and weaved his way through several would-be tacklers to get to the end zone.
State was not done, as Thomas scored on a quarterback keeper from eight yards out to extend the Pack’s lead to 35-0, a margin that the Pack took into halftime. In total, the Pack scored 28 points in the second quarter to effectively put the game out of reach.
A 46-yard field goal by junior kicker Niklas Sade with 3:55 left in the third quarter pushed the lead the 38-0. It was Sade’s eighth successful field goal of the season.
The Chippewas finally got on the scoreboard on the first play of the fourth quarter, a 13-yard touchdown pass from Rush to receiver Titus Davis. Davis made a nice catch along the sidelines to make the score 38-7.
On its next drive, CMU went 53 yards in just three plays and cut the lead to 38-14 on a 38-yard touchdown run by redshirt freshman running back Maruice Shoemaker-Gilmore.
The Chippewas threatened again after a bad snap on a punt for the Wolfpack resulted in a turnover on downs, but Wolfpack safety Josh Stanley came up big, intercepting a pass by Rush in the end zone on the very next play.
State immediately capitalized as Thomas lofted a bomb to junior receiver Bryan Underwood, who outran the Chippewa defense for an 80-yard touchdown catch; it was Thomas’ first touchdown pass of the season.
After intercepting Rush yet again, the Pack pushed its lead to 48-14 on a 34-yard field goal by Sade to end the scoring at 48-14.
