Without completing a pass, reserve quarterback Jack Chambers came off the bench to help No. 14 North Carolina State rally to a 19-17 Atlantic Coast Conference victory over visiting Florida State on Saturday night in Raleigh, N.C.
The Wolfpack (5-1, 1-1 ACC) trailed 17-3 at the half. It got worse when starting quarterback Devin Leary was knocked from the game with a shoulder injury in the third quarter with the Wolfpack trailing 17-10.
But Chambers used his legs to help set up three of Christopher Dunn’s four field goals.
Florida State (4-2, 2-2) dominated the second quarter behind the play of quarterback Jordan Travis. But after that, the Wolfpack defense rose up, holding the Seminoles to 93 yards and five first downs in the second half.
The Seminoles had a chance to win late, driving to the Wolfpack 22. But Devan Boykin sewed it up for NC State with an end zone interception.
Shyheim Battle also had a key interception with 6:24 left as the Wolfpack beat the Seminoles for the third straight year. Linebacker Drake Thomas had 14 tackles to lead the NC State defense.
Chambers carried seven times for 39 yards, running for three first downs which helped set up the decisive field goals in the second half.
Travis completed 15 of 30 passes for 181 yards and ran for 108 more yards on seven carries for FSU.
NC State was up 3-0 early in the second quarter when Travis sparked Florida State with a 71-yard run and followed with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Mycah Pittman.
After Jammie Robinson halted a Wolfpack drive with an interception, the Seminoles drove 72 yards to take a 14-3 advantage. Lawrance Toafili capped the drive with a 12-yard TD run.
The Seminoles added a field goal on the last play of the first half thanks to a well-executed trick play on a punt return. Ontaria Wilson raced 51 yards to set up a 47-yard field goal by Ryan Fitzgerald, which gave the Seminoles a 17-3 lead.
NC State opened the second half with an 84-yard, 10-play drive that was so efficient that the Wolfpack never faced a third down. Leary capped the march with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Darryl Jones to slice Florida State’s lead to 17-10.
As he committed a roughing the passer penalty, the Seminoles’ Josh Farmer knocked Leary from the game in the third quarter. But Crawford made a pair of first downs with scrambles to set up a 40-yard field goal by Dunn.
Early in the fourth quarter, Dunn drilled a 53-yard field goal.
Dunn’s decisive 27-yard field goal came with 6:33 to go, capping a drive that was all on the ground.
–Field Level Media
