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RALEIGH, N.C. — Following a disappointing loss to Vanderbilt the previous week, NC State looked to rebound against App State on Saturday night at Carter-Finley Stadium. All eyes were on quarterback CJ Bailey, who had fumbled away the game against the Commodores, and he delivered on the Wolfpack's opening drive.
Bailey orchestrated a 10-play, 75-yard march that he capped with a 5-yard touchdown run. He continued his strong play throughout the first half, completing 16 of 22 passes for 165 yards and accounting for three total touchdowns.
The Wolfpack offense clicked, amassing 287 total yards and converting 6 of 8 third downs in the first half. Running back Duke Scott contributed 80 rushing yards on 9 carries and scored once. Defensively, NC State pressured App State quarterback Malachi Singleton early, holding the Mountaineers to 1 of 6 on third down and limiting them to 10 points before halftime.
Second-Half Struggles
However, the Wolfpack defense came out flat after halftime. App State struck first in the third quarter, with Singleton directing an 8-play, 75-yard drive for a touchdown. NC State responded with a 13-play drive that ended in a field goal, maintaining a 14-point lead. But the Mountaineers continued to chip away, eventually tying the game at 31 with 9:41 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Duke Scott reignited the Wolfpack with a 16-yard touchdown run at the 5:08 mark. The defense then made a crucial fourth-down stop, setting up a 35-yard field goal that extended NC State's lead to 41-31 with under two minutes left.
Key Analysis
NC State's tendency to play close games was on full display, as sloppy second-half play allowed App State to climb back into contention. Nevertheless, the Wolfpack managed to hold off the Mountaineers' comeback attempt. This victory should boost the confidence of Bailey and his teammates. At 2-2, NC State still controls its own destiny, but the schedule only gets tougher from here. ACC play resumes next weekend when the Wolfpack host No. 16 Louisville, which suffered a 30-27 home loss to unranked Wake Forest earlier in the day.
Andre Cherry has covered college football since 2010 through his CherryPickin podcast network. A Chicagoland native and Illinois State alum, he has lived in Philadelphia since 2014 and previously covered Temple Football. Cherry has a broadcast journalism background, starting in media at WSCR the Score, and has written for Fox Sports, Bridgehead Media, cinSPEAK Journal, and IPMF. Follow him on Twitter @Cherry_Pickin.