NC State Holds Off Appalachian State Rally to Win 41-31
NC State was up 28-7 in the second quarter, and Appalachian State came all the way back to tie it at 31 with 9:41 left. NC State won 41-31 anyway. Let's call it the hard way. A 21-point lead at one stage became a tie game, and the Wolfpack still had enough left to finish it.
The Wolfpack started like they were in a hurry. CJ Bailey ran in from five yards, Jayden Scott from nine, Bailey threw to Ashton Locklear from ten, and it was 21-0 before the midpoint of the second quarter. App State's Malachi Singleton ran in from three yards to get on the board, and Keenan Jackson's 17-yard catch from Bailey made it 28-7 before James London's 48-yard field goal as the half ended. It was 28-10 at the break.
After Jaquari Lewis scored from two yards and Kanoah Vinesett kicked a 23-yard field goal, NC State led 31-17 going into the fourth. Then Singleton threw touchdowns of 18 yards to Sam Pickett III and nine yards to Gavin Barber, and the game was tied. Scott answered with a 16-yard touchdown run with 5:08 left, and Vinesett added a 35-yard field goal with 1:51 to go.
The ground game was the difference. NC State ran 44 times for 210 yards; App State ran 22 times for 62. App State actually threw for more (317 yards to 253) and turned it over less (none, to NC State's one interception), and still lost by ten.
NC State is 2-2, App State 3-1. Singleton (31.4) led all scorers for fantasy, Scott had 29.6 and Bailey 28.7.