NC State
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Troy - Wolfpack Club Day
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Opening #STATEment 49-21
9/5/2015 9:34:00 PM | Football
RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State opened its 2015 season with a 49-21 win over visiting Troy Saturday night at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Wolfpack used a pound-and-ground approach, rushing 58 times for 251 yards and five touchdowns.
Junior Matthew Dayes was the workhorse at running back, rushing 24 times for 126 yards and two scores - the carries and yards were both career highs. Sophomore Jaylen Samuels had four rushes for 37 yards and three scores.
WOLFPACK DRIVE OF THE GAME
8 plays, 62-yard TD drive on first offensive possession.
No better way to start your season on offense then to take the first offensive possession for a score. After a Troy 3-and-out, NC State went 62 yards in eight plays culminated by Jaylen Samuels' first rushing score of the game, from 14 yards out. The Pack used 26 yards on the ground and 31 yards through the air.
In two of Dave Doeren's first three seasons at NC State, the Wolfpack took its opening possession of the season for a TD (2013 vs. Louisiana Tech).
TOP WOLFPACK PERFORMANCES
• RB Matthew Dayes - 24 carries for 126 yards and 2 TDs; 5 catches for 65 yards
Pack's leading rusher and receiver.
• QB Jacoby Brissett - 21 of 23 for 196 yards and 2 TDs
Completed first 12 passes in the game. Completed a pass to nine different receivers.
• FB/TE Jaylen Samuels - 4 rushes for 37 yards; 4 catches for 10 yards
• NIK Dravious Wright - 4 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery
NOTABLES
• The Pack's 49 points scored are the most in a season opener for NC State since 2003 (59 vs. Western Carolina).
• NC State was a perfect 6-for-6 in the Red Zone, coming away with six touchdowns.
• With his first quarter PAT after the Pack's opening TD, freshman PK Kyle Bambard became the first NC State kicker other than Niklas Sade to record a point in a game since the 2010 Sports Champs Bowl. Sade was a four-year starter, accounting for all 146 extra points and 55 field goals the last four seasons.
• A total of 10 true freshmen saw action in today's opener: Nyheim Hines, Freddie Phillips, Jr., Reggie Gallaspy III, Riley Nicholson, James Smith-Williams, Darian Roseboro, Tyler Griffiths, A.J. Cole III, Eurndraus Bryant, and Kyle Bambard.
In Doeren's first three seasons, a total of 34 true freshmen have seen action.
• Another 19 players made their Wolfpack debuts today: Jalen McClendon, Trace Batten, Kalen McCain, Stephen Morrison, Gavin Locklear, Brady Bodine, Dexter Wright, Clark Eyers, Coult Culler, Ford Howell, Tyler Jones, Daris Workman, Peter Daniel, John Tu'uta, Garrett Bradbury, Terronne Prescod, Will Richardson, Maurice Trowell and Jackson Maples.
• NC State had only one penalty for 15 yards, a personal foul in the second quarter.
UP NEXT
The Pack returns to Carter-Finley next Saturday, hosting Eastern Kentucky at 6 p.m. The game will once again be broadcast on ESPN3.
TWEET OF THE GAME
#Instalight: HIT STICK @dravious1 #SCTop10 https://t.co/cEXnAMGNb9
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) September 6, 2015
Team Stats
TROY 0, ST 7
ST - Samuels, J. 14 yd run (Bambard, K. kick), 8 plays, 62 yards, TOP 4:17
TROY 7, ST 7
TROY - Chunn, Jordan 1 yd run (Solomon, Jed kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:08
TROY 7, ST 14
ST - Dayes, M. 1 yd run (Bambard, K. kick), 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:21
TROY 7, ST 21
ST - Samuels, J. 3 yd run (Bambard, K. kick), 12 plays, 70 yards, TOP 5:48
TROY 7, ST 28
ST - Ramos, J. 14 yd pass from Brissett, J. (Bambard, K. kick) 10 plays, 90 yards, TOP 3:06
TROY 14, ST 28
TROY - Holmes, Bryan 37 yd pass from Silvers, B. (Solomon, Jed kick) 2 plays, 82 yards, TOP 0:20
TROY 14, ST 35
ST - Dayes, M. 30 yd run (Bambard, K. kick), 2 plays, 33 yards, TOP 0:38
TROY 21, ST 35
TROY - Burks, Brandon 57 yd run (Solomon, Jed kick), 3 plays, 75 yards, TOP 0:31
TROY 21, ST 42
ST - Samuels, J. 3 yd run (Bambard, K. kick), 4 plays, 14 yards, TOP 1:58
TROY 21, ST 49
ST - Browne, B. 1 yd pass from Brissett, J. (Bambard, K. kick) 8 plays, 53 yards, TOP 3:57
