After picking up its sixth-straight win at Pittsburgh, the NC State football team now holds sole possession of first place in the ACC Atlantic as the only team without a conference loss. In what could have been viewed as a trap game for head coach Dave Doeren’s squad after defeating then-No. 17 Louisville, the Wolfpack (6-1, 4-0 ACC) put together a complete second half to defeat the Panthers (2-5, 0-3 ACC) at Heinz field 35-17. Here is a deeper breakdown of how each position group fared in Saturday’s game.
Quarterbacks: A-
Seven games into the 2017 season, redshirt junior quarterback Ryan Finley has yet to throw his first interception. Finley had a mediocre game stat-wise against Pitt, going 14 for 25 for 198 yards and a touchdown. Finley’s 56 percent completion rate was his worst of the season, but in his defense, his receivers dropped several passes. Overall, Saturday was business as usual for the composed Finley, who has thrown at least one touchdown pass in every game this year. Moreover, Finley’s adept ability to avoid turnovers has significantly helped the Wolfpack climb to the top of the ACC this season.
Running Backs: A+
The combined effort of juniors Nyheim Hines and Reggie Gallaspy and senior Jaylen Samuels was what really allowed NC State to beat an upset-minded Pittsburgh team. Two big runs for touchdowns, an 83-yarder by Hines in the first quarter for the Pack’s first score of the game and a 40-yarder by Samuels in the fourth to finish the game, were the defining factors for NC State’s offense on Saturday. Led by Hines’ 16 carries for 135 yards, the Wolfpack recorded 248 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the day.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: B
Sophomore Kelvin Harmon caught three passes for 113 yards while redshirt sophomore Jakobi Meyers added five catches for 52 yards and one touchdown for the Wolfpack on Saturday. Redshirt junior Stephen Louis failed to record a catch. Throughout the first half, Wolfpack receivers dropped multiple passes, forcing the team to punt on several occasions. In the fourth quarter, however, during a critical drive with the Pack up 21-14, Harmon rose above his defender to nab an NFL-esque 36-yard catch inside the red zone that eventually set up a Samuels touchdown run.
Offensive Line: A
As any running back can attest, a good rushing team must have a good offensive line. NC State’s offensive line was excellent against Pittsburgh, opening up holes for Hines and Samuels that allowed them to each find the end zone. Additionally, the Wolfpack denied all attempts from the Panthers to record a sack.
Defensive Line: B+
Arguably the best overall aspect of the 2017 football team, the Wolfpack’s defensive line performed as expected. In what was an emotional game after the passing of his father the previous Saturday, defensive end Darian Roseboro recorded the team’s lone sack of the game and had five total tackles on the day. Midseason All-American candidate senior Bradley Chubb suffered a gruesome finger injury in the third quarter, but returned to the field just four plays later and finished the game.
Linebackers: A
After Pitt scored two touchdowns in the first half, senior Airius Moore and redshirt senior Jerod Fernandez played big roles in not allowing the Panthers to generate very much offense at all in the second half, giving up only a field goal and forcing three punts and one turnover on downs. A recovered fumble by redshirt junior Germaine Pratt in the fourth quarter helped seal the win for the Pack.
Secondary: A-
NC State’s secondary held Pittsburgh quarterback Ben DiNucci to 19 completions on 32 pass attempts for 170 yards and only one touchdown. After giving up a wide open touchdown through the air in the first quarter, the Wolfpack secondary buckled down and prevented any more passing TDs for the rest of the game while adding an interception. Senior cornerback Mike Stevens intercepted DiNucci on Pitt’s opening drive of the second half, swinging momentum to NC State.
Special Teams: C
Graduate placekicker Carson Wise went 0 for 1 for field goal attempts Saturday, missing from 34 yards as time expired in the first half. The kick would have given NC State a 17-14 edge and some confidence heading into the locker room, but instead the score stayed tied at 14 apiece. Wise is now 6 for 11 on field goals this season, placing him at 10th in the ACC. Junior punter A.J. Cole III punted six times for the Wolfpack, averaging 44.7 yards-per-punt with a long of 58. No Panthers’ returners, kickoff or punt, managed to go more than 30 yards.
