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Florida State had trouble tackling all night, it dropped a punt, committed other turnovers, and faced three quarters of some incredible quarterbacking by N.C. State, but a 49-17 run keyed FSU's victory, and the defense did not allow a score on a non-turnover drive after the first quarter.
It wasn't pretty in the early goings, but Florida State got its 20th consecutive win Saturday night in Raleigh after being down 24-7 to the N.C. State Wolfpack.
On the second play of the game, N.C. State hit the FSU defense with a big gainer for a 54-yard TD. On the play, Jalen Ramsey blitzed and missed Jacoby Brissett, who gathered and hit a receiver who had reset his route after Tyler Hunter jumped the flat, expecting the ball to come out quickly.
Florida State responded immediately with a seven play, 55-yard drive, with Jameis Winston hitting Bobo Wilson for the TD on 3rd and 20.
But N.C. State answered right back, with a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive of its own, converting two third downs in the process. Florida State, without Nile Lawrence-Stample (lost for the year with a torn pec) and Mario Edwards, Jr. (concussion) got run over on the drive.
On the first play of the following drive, right guard Tre' Jackson allowed pressure up the gut, and Jameis Winston was hit as he was about to throw and fumbled, giving N.C. State the ball at the Florida State 21-yard line. N.C. State turned the resulting field position into a field goal.
N.C. State hit a great kickoff following the field goal, high and deep, to pin FSU at its own 19. FSU went three-and-out, including a questionable lack of pass interference call, and Cason Beatty hit a poor punt to give N.C. State great field position.
And N.C. State turned the field position into points almost immediately, hitting a nice throwback play to a tight end, and then Jacoby Brissett evaded two sack attempts and threw a nice ball to the open man in the end zone to go up 24-7. The 24 points allowed by FSU in the first quarter were the most in the program's history.
FSU punches back
N.C. State hit another nice kickoff following the TD attempt, and FSU started on its own 18 again. But FSU responded with a 10-play, 82-yard touchdown drive of its own. Jameis Winston and the passing game worked its way down the field, and Karlos Williams finished it off behind a great block by Josue Matias.
FSU pinned N.C. State deep on the ensuing kickoff at its own 8, playing gaps a bit better and not allowing a huge run on first down for seemingly the first time in the game. FSU forced a three-and-out and Rashad Greene returned the ball to the N.C. State 21.
FSU immediately cashed in with a fantastic throw to Christian Green. The senior scored the first touchdown of his career with some excellent body control on a great ball by Jameis Winston.
Another good kickoff from Roberto Aguayo pinned N.C. State deep at its own 19. State picked up the initial third and 9 with a great throw and catch on a comeback route at the sticks, and hit a RB screen for another first. But FSU got the stop and forced the punt, a good one, to the FSU 8.
FSU moved the ball to the NC State 46, flipping the field, but could go no farther. A solid punt pinned NCSU at the 13.
N.C. State picked up one first down with a great scramble, beating defensive tackle Desmond Hollin in the open field -- a mismatch. Another first down came on a missed tackle on a quick pass to a running back. But FSU got a stop, and the ball back with all three timeouts, although Rashad Greene foolishly caught the ball inside the FSU 10, and then attempted to run after giving a fair catch signal, which is a penalty. FSU would have had to march 96 yards for the score, and after a false start by Nick O'Leary, elected to go conservative.
At the half, FSU trailed 24-21, and had given up 6.8 yards/play, while gaining 7.3.
To open the 2nd half, Winston was intercepted after trying to evade pressure allowed by Cam Erving. On the ensuing drive, Jacoby Brissett made another fantastic play, while being sacked and dragged down on the body of a teammate, Brissett managed to flip the ball to a teammate for a first down. Image may be NSFW.
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Brissett made a great scramble getting out of the grasp of Chris Casher on the ensuing play. Brissett followed it up with another great scramble, and was playing out of his mind at that point. FSU had better rush discipline on the ensuing pass plays, but Brissett had time and threw a fine TD pass over the middle for a score to go up 31-21.
FSU again started deep in its own territory after another nice kickoff by the Wolfpack, and picked up first downs to Wilson and Greene, and another to Greene as N.C. State was playing deep and giving the underneath passes. Then FSU turned to the run game, rushing four of the final five plays for 42 yards, including a Dalvin Cook touchdown.
Aguryo boomed a great kickoff and it was covered well, and N.C. State was stopped at its own 12. Freshman Lorenzo Featherston made a first down stop that got the Wolfpack off schedule, and FSU got the stop. But Rashad Greene fumbled the punt and the Wolfpack recovered at the FSU 27, scoring on the sudden change soon thereafter to go up 38-28.
FSU was composed on the ensuing drive, even after an opening false start, going 71 yards in five plays, including a huge gainer of 40 yards by Travis Rudolph on a bubble screen.
On the ensuing drive, the FSU's defense allowed a first down on the ground, then caused its first turnover of the game, as a pair of freshmen (and third stringers), Jacob Pugh and Lorenzo Featherston, closed quickly on QB Jacoby Brissett. Brissett fumbled, and FSU cashed in for its first lead of the game, Winston to Greene, 42-38.
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On the ensuing drive, N.C. State worked its way down the field with quick passing, not giving FSU much chance to rush, but FSU got the stop, and took over on its own 12.
No problem for FSU, however, as Freshman Dalvin Cook busted a 38-yard run on first down with a great cutback run. Rashad Greene got open from the slot against N.C. State's third corner or safety time and again, and FSU marched the field 88 yards in 9 plays.
At this point in the game, Florida State was averaging almost 10 yards per minute.
On the ensuing drive, FSU lost new starting nose guard, Derrick Mitchell, (old starter Nile Lawrence-Stample tore his pec and is done for the year) to a leg injury. N.C. State converted a fourth-and-1 play in which it looked like the runner's elbow many have been down a yard short, but it was not reviewed. The Wolfpack drove deep into FSU territory, and sophomore Jalen Ramsey screamed past the blocker for the Wolfpack to strip Jacoby Brissett and FSU recovered.
On the ensuing drive, a ridiculously bad chop block call negated a big run by Karlos Williams and backed FSU up. N.C. State was then hit with an illegal hands to the face. Winston then threw a bad interception, not seeing a linebacker in space.
On a scramble by Jacoby Brissett on the ensuing drive, the QB was injured and the reserve QB couldn't connect with a fade route in the end zone. State kicked a field goal to pull to 49-41.
On the ensuing drive, FSU faced a third and 11, and Jameis Winston picked it up with a great scramble, and Karlos Williams ran for 28 on the next play, to salt the clock and put FSU in scoring territory. Williams punched in a final run to go up 56-41, sealing the deal.