Led by an emerging offense and stout defense, NC State football (7-2, 3-2 ACC) upset divisional rival Wake Forest (6-3, 2-3 ACC) on Saturday Nov. 5 in Carter-Finley Stadium.
The Wolfpack tied a school record in this primetime matchup by winning its 16th consecutive home game, a feat only former head coach Lou Holtz achieved at NC State. After battling in the first half, the Wolfpack played a strong second half to put away the Demon Deacons.
Facing one of the better teams on the schedule, NC State needed to be able to score to pull off the upset. In his first career start, freshman quarterback MJ Morris impressed — throwing for 210 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Additionally, Morris was a threat in the run game, adding an extra wrinkle to the Wolfpack offense. With his dual threat ability, Morris was a step ahead of the defense all night long.
“He’s got the players playing hard for him,” said head coach Dave Doeren. “They believe in him. He’s taken care of the football. He’s way ahead of where we probably thought he would be at this point in his career, so I’m super proud of him.”
While Morris himself looked impressive, his receivers also shined. Junior wide receiver Keyon Lesane and graduate wide receiver Darryl Jones stepped up. Combining for three touchdowns, the duo gave the Demon Deacons problems all night. The first of three catches for Lesane came on a deep pass over the middle of the field. With a diving catch, Lesane picked up 44 yards to set up the offense at Wake Forest’s 30-yard line. A few plays later he caught a touchdown on a slant, despite getting rocked by the defender. Lesane finished the game with 71 yards in a memorable performance.
Jones, not to be outdone, scored a pair of touchdowns during the game. Jones’ emergence proved key, especially in the red zone. Having a reliable target near the goal line was critical for Morris’ success on the night. If Jones can continue to play well, the Wolfpack offense can continue its late season improvement.
As impressive as the offense was, the defense played just as well. Wake Forest entered the game averaging 38.88 points per game. However, the Wolfpack stifled the Demon Deacon offense, giving up only 21 points. NC State did a phenomenal job of taking away the run game for Wake Forest, allowing only 17 rush yards during the entire night. By making the Demon Deacons one dimensional, the red-and-white put all the pressure on Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman to beat the Pack through the air.
“I think you know the front deserves credit for a couple of things,” Doeren said. “One knocking them back and getting off blocks, something we talked a lot about this week was shedding blocks and then second; the tackling. We tackled really well tonight in the box.”
NC State’s defense also held the Wake Forest passing attack in check. The Wolfpack pass rush managed to pressure Hartman, forcing him into a few poor throws. As a result, the secondary came away with three interceptions. The defense also sacked Hartman four times. Junior linebacker Drake Thomas shined in this department, leading the team with two sacks.
Graduate linebacker Isaiah Moore also had an inspired performance. Racking up 10 total tackles, including 2.5 for loss, Moore was all over the field making plays, especially in the run game. He also made his way to the quarterback, getting a huge sack. While the entire linebacking core was impressive, Moore in particular stood out.
“[Wake Forest is] a team that’s been a headache for a lot of us that’ve been here for five six years,” Moore said. “So to get a big win over them is huge.”
Like past games, NC State excelled on special teams. Graduate kicker Christopher Dunn made all three of his field goal attempts, including a long 51-yard kick. Additionally, the Pack managed the punting game well. On one punt, graduate wide receiver Thayer Thomas downed the ball at the one yard line, setting up as long a field as possible for Wake Forest to drive. Finally, redshirt freshman wide receiver Julian Gray did a nice job of setting up the offense with good field position on kickoff returns. By making special teams plays, the Wolfpack gained small advantages throughout the game that added up by the end of the night.
“It’s an incredible luxury to have Chris Dunn and I’m so happy for him,” Doeren said. “He’s been through a lot and to have the year he’s having, this is why he came back, for this extra season to be the best kicker in college football and that’s what he is right now.”
In addition to the impressive play from both sides of the ball, the Wolfpack benefitted from Wake Forest making some critical errors. With a raucous crowd, Wolfpack fans lived up to their name, which led to nine penalties for 74 yards. After getting backed up by several false starts, Wake Forest struggled to find its rhythm. The crowd’s ability to cause miscommunication helped spur the Wolfpack on to victory. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by Wake Forest capped off the Demon Deacons’ self-inflicted frustrations.
“When you bring the encouragement and the crowd noise you’re helping our team win,” Doeren said.
The Wolfpack will play its final home game of the season at Carter-Finley Stadium against the Boston College Eagles (2-7, 1-5 ACC) on Saturday Nov. 12. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ACC Network.
