NC State football escaped with a 24-21 win over the Virginia Cavaliers as time expired in the first conference game of the season. In a game where NC State opened as the favorite to win, the Wolfpack struggled to put away a gritty Cavaliers team. However, the red-and-white’s offense pulled together a last-second drive to knock off Virginia at the bell.
Quarterback
While graduate quarterback Brennan Armstrong didn’t shatter any records in his return to Scott Stadium, he did enough to capture the Pack’s first conference win of the season and second win on the road.
Armstrong succeeded in spreading the ball around, completing passes to seven different receivers for a total of 180 yards. He also tossed a pair of touchdowns to freshman wide receiver Kevin Concepcion.
However, Armstrong was inconsistent throughout the game, completing only half of his passes and throwing an interception late in the second quarter. Despite concerns through the air, he continued to display his effectiveness on the ground, totaling 64 yards on 15 attempts. This marks the third time this season Armstrong has led the Wolfpack in rushing.
Grade: B
Wide receivers
Concepcion led the receivers in this game and set season highs in receiving yards, touchdowns and hauled in the longest reception of the night. He caught a 14-yard touchdown in the second quarter and a 48-yard touchdown in the third quarter. By the end of the night, he totaled 116 yards on six receptions and two scores, earning him ACC Rookie of the Week.
Despite what was an inconsistent night receiving-wise, the pass catchers and Brennan Armstrong showed the ability to strike in bulk, with six of the 15 total receptions going for 10 or more yards.
Grade: B
Running backs
The red-and-white entered the contest without senior running back Jordan Houston after he decided to redshirt. Despite Houston’s surprise announcement, sophomore running back Micheal Allen and redshirt junior running back Delbert Mimms III stepped up to fill the void.
While Allen took most of the reps in the backfield, Mimms III punched in a one-yard touchdown run before the end of the first half. Allen was second in total rush yards, with 36 yards on 10 carries.
First-year offensive coordinator Robert Anae relies on the involvement of multiple running backs so there will not be a clear every-down back, but expect Allen to see his carries increase and Mimms III to continue to see action on short yardage situations.
Grade: C
Offensive line
For the majority of the game, the offensive line did just enough to let Armstrong deliver the ball. The line allowed two sacks in this game, but one sack was credited to Virginia because of a busted quarterback run where Armstrong failed to reach the line of scrimmage.
The line showed upside in opening gaps for the running backs and helped set up Allen and freshman running back Kendrick Raphael to earn big gains of 16 and 13 yards, respectively.
Grade: C
