SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 29, 2014
North Carolina State 35, North Carolina 7: Jacoby Brissett threw for three touchdowns and rushed for a career-high 167 yards and another score as the visiting Wolfpack routed the Tar Heels.
Brissett added 66 yards passing and was complemented by Shadrach Thornton, who matched a personal best with 28 carries for a season-high 161 yards for North Carolina State (7-5, 3-5 ACC). The Wolfpack churned out a season-high 388 yards on the ground and closed their regular season with three wins in four tries following a four-game skid.
Backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky replaced injured starter Marquise Williams in the third quarter and hooked up with Quinshad Davis on a late 13-yard touchdown as North Carolina (6-6, 4-4) avoided its first shutout since 2011. Bug Howard led all receivers with 79 yards and Davis moved into a first-place tie with Hakeem Nicks in Tar Heel history with his 21st career TD catch.
Brissett needed nine plays to march N.C. State 79 yards and strolled into the end zone virtually untouched from 17 yards out on a quarterback draw on the Wolfpackกฏs first offensive series. North Carolina got untracked with a 68-yard drive spanning the first and second quarters, but Thomas Moore missed a 35-yard field goal and Brissett capped the ensuing possession with a 2-yard toss to David Grinnage.
The Wolfpack stretched the margin to 21-0 late in the opening half as Thornton found the end zone one play after Brissett broke loose for 60 yards on a third-down play and N.C. State put the game away with a time-consuming 12-play march that ended with Brissettกฏs 3-yard flip to Purvis late in the third quarter. Brissett and Purvis connected for a second time from 2 yards out early in the fourth on N.C. Stateกฏs final scoring drive.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Wolfpack posted back-to-back 300-yard rushing games for the first time since 1981. กญ Brissett set the school record for rushing yards by a quarterback that had stood since 1976. กญ Williams left the game with a lower right leg injury and WR/PR Ryan Switzer departed in the fourth quarter with an apparent left arm injury after he was contacted while attempting to field a punt. Neither player was able to return.