North Carolina State 22, Virginia Tech 21
By AARON BEARD
AP Sports Writer
RALEIGH, N.C. - First-year quarterback MJ Morris threw for three second-half touchdowns to help No. 24 North Carolina State rally from 18 points down in the third quarter to beat Virginia Tech 22-21.
Morris took over for starter Jack Chambers to lead an unexpected comeback for the Wolfpack (6-2, 2-2 Atalntic Coast Conference), who trailed 21-3 after Grant Wells' 20-yard TD keeper with 4:02 in the third quarter.
Instead, N.C. State somehow found a way to make its biggest comeback since rallying from 27 down to beat Maryland in 2011. It also marked the Wolfpack's second comeback from a double-digit deficit after halftime this month, going back to a rally from 17-3 down at the break against Florida State.
This one was arguably more critical for a team that had been reeling offensively since losing quarterback and preseason ACC player of the year Devin Leary to a season-ending injury in that Florida State win. But after looking like every yard was a struggle, Morris and the Wolfpack started pushing the ball downfield and connecting to suddenly change momentum.
It started with a 35-yard deep throw from Morris to Thayer Thomas with 1:42 left in the third. Morris followed with a 7-yard score to Trent Pennix early in the fourth, then hit Thomas again on a short throw that the receiver cut up the middle of the field and scored from 18 yards out with 7:38 mark.
After its veteran defense forced a three-and-out, the Wolfpack kept the chains moving on a final drive that ate up the last 5:35 to seal the win.
Thomas finished with 10 catches for 118 yards and the two scores for the Wolfpack.
Wells ran for two scores and hit Kaleb Smith for an 85-yard score in the third for the Hokies (2-6, 1-4).
THE TAKEAWAY
Virginia Tech: This one will be difficult to get past for the Hokies, who looked on their way to ending the Wolfpack's 14-game home winning streak and giving first-year coach Brent Pry his first road win in four tries. Instead, the offense that suddenly found success attacking the Wolfpack's veteran defense sputtered when it needed a big drive and the defense gave up three straight TD drives.
N.C. State: The Wolfpack went through a bye week with a chance to tweak the offense to better suit the strengths of Chambers in the wake of Leary's loss. But Morris proved the more effective passer as the Wolfpack needed to get more aggressive down big - and it worked.
| Scoring Summary |
| Second Quarter |
VaTech | NCSU |
| NCSU |
FG |
0:05 |
Christopher Dunn 35 yard field goal |
0 |
3 |
| Third Quarter |
VaTech | NCSU |
| VaTech |
TD |
12:51 |
Grant Wells 4 yard TD run (William Ross Extra Point) |
7 |
3 |
| VaTech |
TD |
9:18 |
Kaleb Smith 85 yard TD pass from Grant Wells (William Ross Extra Point) |
14 |
3 |
| VaTech |
TD |
4:02 |
Grant Wells 20 yard TD run (William Ross Extra Point) |
21 |
3 |
| NCSU |
TD |
1:42 |
Thayer Thomas 35 yard TD pass from MJ Morris (Christopher Dunn Extra Point) |
21 |
10 |
| Fourth Quarter |
VaTech | NCSU |
| NCSU |
TD |
12:15 |
Trent Pennix 7 yard TD pass from MJ Morris (Darryl Jones 2pt conversion attempt is NO GOOD) |
21 |
16 |
| NCSU |
TD |
7:38 |
Thayer Thomas 18 yard TD pass from MJ Morris (MJ Morris 2pt conversion attempt is NO GOOD) |
21 |
22 |
| Team Stats |
| |
Virginia Tech |
North Carolina State |
| First downs |
10 |
21 |
| Rushing |
2 |
7 |
| Passing |
5 |
13 |
| Penalty |
3 |
1 |
| 3rd Down Efficiency |
1-11, 9% |
8-19, 42% |
| 4th down efficiency |
0-0, -% |
1-1, 100% |
| Rushes-Yards |
26-50 |
34-60 |
| Passing Yards |
243 |
296 |
| Return Yards |
68 |
50 |
| Completions-Attempts-Int |
11-22-0 |
26-43-0 |
| Sacks-Yards Lost |
4-26 |
2-16 |
| Punts |
9 |
8 |
| Fumbles Lost |
0-0 |
1-0 |
| Penalties - Yards |
13-69 |
8-65 |
| Virginia Tech Passing |
| Player |
Cmp |
Att |
Yds |
TDs |
Int |
| G. Wells |
11 |
22 |
243 |
1 |
0 |
| North Carolina State Passing |
| Player |
Cmp |
Att |
Yds |
TDs |
Int |
| M. Morris |
20 |
29 |
265 |
3 |
0 |
| J. Chambers |
6 |
13 |
31 |
0 |
0 |
| Virginia Tech Rushing |
| Player |
Carries |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| M. Thomas |
9 |
21 |
2.3 |
0 |
| G. Wells |
11 |
17 |
1.5 |
2 |
| J. Holston |
5 |
14 |
2.8 |
0 |
| North Carolina State Rushing |
| Player |
Carries |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| J. Houston |
9 |
31 |
3.4 |
0 |
| J. Chambers |
4 |
12 |
3.0 |
0 |
| M. Morris |
13 |
12 |
0.9 |
0 |
| D. Jones II |
3 |
10 |
3.3 |
0 |
| J. Gray |
1 |
8 |
8.0 |
0 |
| D. Mimms III |
1 |
3 |
3.0 |
0 |
| Virginia Tech Receiving |
| Player |
Rec |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| K. Smith |
3 |
141 |
47.0 |
1 |
| D. Wright |
2 |
46 |
23.0 |
0 |
| M. Thomas |
2 |
34 |
17.0 |
0 |
| D. Lofton |
3 |
16 |
5.3 |
0 |
| J. Holston |
1 |
6 |
6.0 |
0 |
| North Carolina State Receiving |
| Player |
Rec |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| T. Thomas |
10 |
118 |
11.8 |
2 |
| D. Carter |
5 |
62 |
12.4 |
0 |
| T. Timmons Jr. |
2 |
51 |
25.5 |
0 |
| J. Houston |
4 |
28 |
7.0 |
0 |
| T. Pennix |
3 |
25 |
8.3 |
1 |
| D. Jones |
2 |
12 |
6.0 |
0 |
| Virginia Tech Interceptions |
| Player |
Int |
Yards |
| North Carolina State Interceptions |
| Player |
Int |
Yards |
| Virginia Tech Punting |
| Player |
Punts |
Yards |
Avg |
| P. Moore |
9 |
359 |
39.9 |
| North Carolina State Punting |
| Player |
Punts |
Yards |
Avg |
| S. McDonough |
8 |
317 |
39.6 |
| Virginia Tech Punt Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| North Carolina State Punt Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| T. Thomas |
2 |
-18 |
-9.0 |
| Virginia Tech Kick Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| C. Black |
4 |
54 |
13.5 |
| B. Duke |
1 |
14 |
14.0 |
| North Carolina State Kick Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| J. Gray |
2 |
68 |
34.0 |
| Virginia Tech Missed FG |
| Player |
Length |
| North Carolina State Missed FG |
| Player |
Length |
