Thanksgiving is still several days away, but graduate quarterback Brennan Armstrong and freshman receiver Kevin Concepcion led NC State football’s feast of the Virginia Tech Hokies in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Now riding a four-game win streak, the red-hot Wolfpack (8-3, 5-2) walked into Blacksburg and bashed the Hokies (5-6, 4-3) 35-28. Armstrong and Concepcion led the charge, confidently putting on five straight touchdown drives between the second and third quarters to put enough space between them and Virginia Tech. While the Hokies attempted a comeback, NC State kept its cool and held on for its first win in Lane Stadium since 2004.
“As a competitor that you think you’re going to win every single game,” said graduate linebacker Payton Wilson. “There’s never been a game that I’ve walked into thinking we’re going to lose.”
The dynamic duo truly did it all in Blacksburg. Armstrong threw for 203 yards and two touchdowns while carrying the ball for 89 yards and another pair of scores. Meanwhile, Concepcion had seven receptions for 63 yards, 44 rushing yards, hauled in both of Armstrong’s touchdown tosses and even threw one of his own — a 17-yard, third-quarter score to graduate tight end Trent Pennix.
“[A] three-score lead was too much for [Virginia Tech] to overcome, and I was really proud of the way Brennan played,” said head coach Dave Doeren. “He played tough; he played really hard; [he] took care of the football. It’s fun watching him play like that. And I’m just very happy for him. It’s great to see KC throw a touchdown — for a freshman — and do all the things he’s doing.”
The red-and-white opened the scoring early in the second quarter when Armstrong rolled out left on a gutsy fourth and one call, finding none other than Concepcion who tiptoed his way across the first down marker and into the endzone for his first score of the day.
NC State kept its foot on the gas — with just under five minutes left in the half, Armstrong methodically led a second touchdown drive. Following a 20-yard run into the redzone by freshman running back Kendrick Raphael, Armstrong punched the second score himself, putting the Wolfpack up 14-0.
The Hokies weren’t planning to go down without a fight, scoring a near-instantaneous touchdown after a quality kick return and a 47-yard reverse. NC State once again marched down the field, and Armstrong capped yet another drive with six points as he ripped a 28-yard touchdown pass to Concepcion to earn the Wolfpack a 21-7 halftime lead.
Concepcion has been integral to NC State’s offensive success this season, and today was no different. No matter if he’s catching, running or even throwing the ball, the freshman has stepped up when Doeren and company have needed him to.
“He’s the most explosive player on offense,” Doeren said. “He’s a spark, for sure, versatile. [He] makes up for things we’re missing in the backfield — one player that stopped playing, another player that’s injured, and so we’ve had to fill in, come up with quarterback runs, fill in with receiver runs. And so the creativity in the backfield is working.”
The Wolfpack received the ball to open the second half and picked up right where it left off — marching 75 yards for a touchdown. Once the Pack reached the goal line, Armstrong powered into the endzone for his second rushing touchdown of the game. Down three scores, it seemed the Hokies had given up as Lane Stadium grew quiet. However, Virginia Tech’s offense quickly exploded for a momentum-shifting two-play touchdown drive.
NC State responded with a fifth-consecutive touchdown. After Armstrong bolted up the middle of the field for a 43-yard run, offensive coordinator Robert Anae — who has firmly hit his playcalling stride — brought out the fireworks.
With NC State in the redzone, Concepcion took a backwards pass from Armstrong and tossed a 17-yard touchdown to a wide-open Pennix, stretching the lead back to three scores. Anae has used his creativity to maximize Concepcion’s talents and transform the Wolfpack’s offense.
“He’s spinning the dial as he calls it,” Doeren said. “There’s 25 years of calling offense in that man’s head and he goes back to things he did back in the day, things he did in Virginia, things he did at Syracuse, things that we’re watching on film. And then [creating] plays off of plays — he did a good job of that. I thought Robert called a really good game.”
Down 21, the Hokies attempted a fourth-quarter comeback. NC State’s offense finally stalled and the Hokies jumped at the opportunity to cut the lead, scoring off of an open pass into the endzone. Virginia Tech continued to hold strong defensively, despite throwing a pick to junior safety Bishop Fitzgerald, and found itself in striking position.
With just under two minutes left, Virginia Tech hit paydirt again, pulling within one score. The Hokies attempted an onside kick, but redshirt junior running back Delbert Mimms III scooped it up. The onside kick was the final nail in the coffin, spoiling Virginia Tech’s senior day.
When the Wolfpack suffered an embarrassing, three-touchdown loss to Duke, five straight touchdown drives might have seemed an impossible feat for NC State. However, Armstrong and Concepcion willed the Wolfpack’s 35-point performance into existence, and Doeren has inspired his team to four straight wins to earn the Pack’s fourth straight season with eight or more wins.
“Coach Doeren talked about — ever since the bye week — trying to focus on a five-game season,” Pennix said. “We just have to worry about going undefeated these last five games and we got one more step ahead.”
That final step is none other than UNC-Chapel Hill, and the Heels will have to deal with a sold-out Carter-Finley Stadium under the lights on senior night.
There’s usually no shortage of drama when NC State and UNC clash, and next week will be no different. The highly anticipated senior night showdown is slated for 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25 and will be broadcast on ACC network.
