NC State Closes Out The Regular Season With East Carolina

On Saturday NC State who is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference will conclude their regular season by hosting East Carolina who is a member of the American Athletic Conference.

NC State comes into the game with a record of 8-3 while East Carolina comes into the game with a record of 3-8.

As for NC State’s previous game they topped North Carolina in Chapel Hill last Saturday in overtime.

RB Reggie Gallaspy, Jr.'s school tying fifth rushing touchdown of the day was the game winner in overtime in NC State's 34-28 comeback win at North Carolina. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
The overtime win was the first for NC State since 2007. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
NC State has now won three in a row in the series, the longest such streak since five straight from 2007-2011. The Pack has also won three in a row at UNC, the longest road winning streak since also winning three in a row at Kenan Stadium from 1988-92. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
On the opening possession of overtime, UNC missed a 37-yard field goal. The Pack then used seven plays, all rushes, to get a one-yard TD for the OT road win. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
NC State opened the scoring with a quick two-play, four-yard drive thanks to a pair of special teams plays. A.J. Cole III punted the ball down to the UNC one-yard line, and after a three-and-out, UNC botched the snap on the punt results in NC State taking over at the four-yard line. Gallapy scored from a yard out with 9:09 left in the first quarter for his first score of the day. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
After the Pack TD, North Carolina kicked field goals of 24 and 32 yards to make the halftime score 7-6. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
The two teams traded touchdowns to open the seconds half. NC State uses a 10-play, 75-yard drive that saw Gallaspy score his second TD of the day. The Tar Heels quickly answered with a 3-play, 76-yard drive, with pass plays of 38 then 37 yards on back-to-back plays. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
Gallaspy found the end zone for the third time, again in the third quarter, with a season-long 34-yard rush for a score to make it 21-13 with 3:38 left in the third. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
UNC answered the TD once again with a 6-play, 75-yard drive on the ensuing possession. After the two-point conversion, it was all tied 21-21 late in the third quarter. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
The Tar Heels took their first lead of the game after a 9-play, 92-yard TD drive that pushed the score to 28-21 with 9:29 left in the fourth quarter. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
NC State tied up the score at 28-28 with 6:00 to play after Gallaspy rushed for his fourth TD of the game, from four yards out. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
WOLFPACK SPOTLIGHT DRIVE – 1st Half
2 plays, 4 yards in 0:48 – Reggie Gallaspy, Jr. 2-yd TD run “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
After the Pack took over on the UNC four-yard line after a botched punt, RB Reggie Gallaspy, Jr. punched the ball in from one-yard out for the game's opening scoring in the first quarter. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
WOLFPACK SPOTLIGHT DRIVE – 2nd Half
12 plays, 75 yards in 5:39 – Reggie Gallaspy, Jr. 4-yd TD run “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
With a 7-6 halftime lead, NC State took the opening possession of the second half for a score after a 10-play, 75-yard drive. RB Reggie Gallaspy, Jr., scored his second rushing TD of the day, from four yards out. On the drive, QB Ryan Finley was 4-of-6 for 53 yards. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
STAT LEADERS
• QB Ryan Finley
16-of-28 for 200 yards
 
• RB Reggie Gallaspy, Jr.
27 rushes for 129 yards (career-high), 5 TDs (career-high)
 
• WR Jakobi Meyers
7 catches for 111 yards
 
• S Jarius Morehead
11 tackles, 9 solo

“according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
NOTABLES
• NC State played without leading tackler LB Germaine Pratt. Pratt ranks second in the ACC in tackles with 9.8 per game. Getting his first career start was R-So. Brock Miller in his place. Miller finished with six. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
• The five touchdown runs by RB Reggie Gallaspy, Jr., tied a school record for most in a single game with T.A. McLendon (2002) and Stan Fritts (1972). “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
• With five rushing TDs today, Gallaspy now has 16 on the season – tying for the second-most in a single season in school history. Only T.A. McLendon (18 in 2002) has had more. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football
 
• Fr. Teshaun Smith recorded his first career interception in the first quarter. All Wolfpack players that have started in the secondary this season have at least one INT (McCloud, Ingram, Morehead, Wright, T. Smith). “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/football-gallaspy-ties-school-record-with-five-rushing-scores-in-ot-win-at-unc.aspx?path=football

As for East Carolina’s previous game, Unlike NC State who won, East Carolina was blown out by Cincinnati.

ECU got off to a slow start and never recovered as it lost to Cincinnati 56-6 on Friday in Nippert Stadium. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
The Bearcats, who entered with the best defense in the American Athletic Conference, were dominant on both sides of the ball as they put the game away early. By the time ECU got on the board with a 71-yard scoring pass from Holton Ahlers to Mydreon Vines, UC already had a five-touchdown lead. It finished with a 641-303 advantage in total offense. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
The Bearcats, who finished their regular season 10-2 overall and 6-2 in the American, scored on six of their eight first-half possessions and led 42-6 by halftime. They reached 10 victories for the first time since 2012. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
ECU, which dropped to 3-8 overall and finished 1-7 in the American, didn't get its initial first down until its fourth possession, with 13:51 remaining in the second quarter. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
"Everything that could've gone wrong did," said head coach Scottie Montgomery, whose team will conclude its season at 12 noon next Saturday, Dec. 1, at N.C. State. "We didn't play well at all. We had some opportunities (in the first half) offensively and let them go. Defensively we just didn't stop them." “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
UC was playing without leading running back Michael Warren (1,187 yards on 224 carries), who was a late scratch with an injured shoulder. That didn't slow the Bearcats down, though, as they took the opening kickoff and marched downfield for a touchdown on a 10-yard pass from Desmond Ridder to Jayshon Jackson. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
Ridder was 5-for-6 for 76 yards on the drive, and finished 20-for-29 for 335 yards with a career-high four scores. He didn't play in the second half. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
"It was a struggle all day," Montgomery said. "The physical nature of last week had a physical toll on us. Starting with (Ahlers), we got to practice him one day this week, and unfortunately he didn't come out as sharp as he could. We had some major problems in our front all night." “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
The Pirates went three-and-out, but forced a turnover on downs when UC was unable to convert a fourth-and-1 from the ECU 23. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
Another three-and-out by ECU was followed by a 5-play, 56-yard drive by the Bearcats, capped by a 30-yard touchdown pass from Ridder to Josiah Deguara. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
The Pirates again were unable to move the ball, and after taking over on their own 38 the Bearcats needed just two plays to score. A 57-yard pass from Ridder to Kahlil Lewis on the last play of the first quarter made it 21-0 “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
"Losing Colby Gore early hurt," Montgomery said. "They had a great player (Lewis), and they took advantage of the matchup. We wanted to put Colby on him a lot, but didn't get a chance to. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
Lewis finished with nine catches for 203 yards and three touchdowns. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
ECU finally got a first down on its next possession, but on the ensuing play Ahlers fumbled, and UC's Arquon Bush recovered at the UC 45. Then on the next snap, Charles McClelland scored on a 55-yard run to make it 28-0. McClelland, taking Warren's spot, rushed eight times for 114 yards. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
Facing fourth-and-1 from their own 34, the Pirates elected to go for it, but a botched snap under center was recovered by the Bearcats. They took advantage with a 2-yard touchdown run by Tavion Thomas, upping their lead to 35-0. Thomas ran 26 times for 106 yards. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
ECU then had its best series of the game. On third-and-6 from the ECU 29, Ahlers found Vines downfield on busted coverage. All alone, he caught it at the UC 35 and streaked in for the score. However, the point-after attempt failed because of a high snap, leaving the score 35-6. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
UC closed the first-half scoring on a 28-yard pass from Ridder to Lewis. In the half, UC had a 454-185 advantage in total offense, with 17 first downs to ECU's four. The Pirates had just 17 yards rushing, and Ahlers was 6-for-15 passing for 168 yards. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
Ahlers, who was wearing a brace on his right knee, left the game for good with 6:00 left in the third quarter after he took a hit on an incomplete third-down pass. He finished 8-for-22 for 184 yards with a touchdown and one interception. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
"He was bruised up coming into the game," Montgomery said. "It was his first game being banged up a bit, and we didn't handle it well. We didn't protect him very well. We had some musical chairs on our offensive line." “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
Reid Herring played the rest of the way for the Pirates and was 2-for-6 for 38 yards with a pair of interceptions. His second one was returned 36 yards for touchdown by Bush. ECU committed five turnovers overall. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
In addition to Bush's touchdown, the Bearcats also got a second-half score when Lewis caught a 7-yard pass from backup quarterback Hayden Moore. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
Trace Christian was the Pirates' top rusher with six carries for 25 yards, followed by Hussein Howe (9-23), Ahlers (9-21) and Anthony Scott (7-20). Trevon Brown had three catches for 45 yards and Leroy Henley had two for 40. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx
 
Aaron Ramseur and Daniel Charles led the defense with eight tackles each. Bruce Bivens had six, and Davondre Robinson, Devon Sutton, Gerard Stringer and Kendall Futrell had five. Stringer recovered a fumbled that was forced by Chance Purvis. “according to https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/11/23/football-pirates-stifled-by-cincinnati.aspx

Kick-off is set for 12:00pm from Carter Finley Stadium. The game will be televised on ACC Network Extra.