Martrel Brown quietly walked off the field following Saturday’s game against North Carolina. His head down. His helmet off. Looking as though his team had just suffered its fourth consecutive loss to the Tar Heels.
While he did so, players sprinted past him — running to the student section. It was a scene eerily familiar to losses against North Carolina the past few years — you know, games where the Wolfpack was favored, had a good chance to win, maybe should have won and then found a way to lose.
But this was different — Brown’s team won.
Brown was emotional about the win, just not in the same manner as DaJuan Morgan’s all out dance party.
After the game, Brown talked to the team, and as he did so, he couldn’t hold back his tears, according to Jimmie Sutton III.
Sutton told me after the game that Brown went to the team, and told them, “When I say I love you guys, I mean it from the heart.”
Brown, a redshirt senior from Maxton, N.C., obviously understands the rivalry.
His emotions are probably easy to understand for many Wolfpack fans. Some probably wanted to cry as the Tar Heels marched down the field near the end of the game.
It was one of those games where you knew the Tar Heels would win — especially if you’ve been a student for the past four years.
The easiest game to look back on is the loss to North Carolina three seasons ago at Kenan Stadium.
State was ranked No. 25 in the nation while UNC came into the game 2-3. With seconds remaining, and down 30-24, the Pack needed a touchdown — and it had the ball inches away from the end zone. T.A. McLendon appeared to stumble into the end zone, one referee thought so too. He signaled touchdown, another disagreed.
After the referees gathered and said he fell short, State had to hurry to get one more play, which ended with McLendon getting stopped short while he fumbled the ball away.
Fast forward to Saturday when State had the ball on UNC’s 1-yard line with less than five minutes remaining. First down, nothing. Second down, incomplete pass. Third down, nothing. And at that moment, all I could think about was McLendon. When I talked to Sutton and began asking about three years ago, he didn’t even let me finish.
“McLendon,” he said.
Here it comes again.
Then came a flag for offside on third down, followed by a touchdown. I started to believe it was possible.
And just when I started to really believe, the Heels had a 4th-and-10 it needed to convert. Yates was rushed and he lofted a ball down the field. Then a UNC receiver comes out of nowhere to grab it.
Here it comes again.
Even more so when Carolina got the ball on State’s 7-yard line. I would have even placed a bet involving my grandmother at this point. No way State wins this game. But somehow the Pack pulled off four consecutive stops.
Luckily there was no one there to place a bet with me.
The game had all the signs of the previous three games — plays that make State fans want to turn their backs. Plays that make fans say, “That’s some N.C. State [stuff] right there.” And plays that you know only happen against the Pack.
But in the end, it was different. And it means a lot to most — especially Brown.