
Pack Jumps Out Early, Downs CMU 48-14
9/28/2013 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 28, 2013
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RALEIGH, N.C. - The NC State football team scored touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams in defeating the Central Michigan Chippewas by a score of 48-14 on Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Junior quarterback Pete Thomas completed 14-of-20 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown while running for another score in leading a balanced Wolfpack offense to 483 yards on the day. Junior wide receiver Bryan Underwood hauled in five catches for 148 yards and a touchdown, while senior wideout Rashard Smith recorded a 67-yard punt return for a touchdown.
On the Wolfpack's second defensive play of the game, NC State senior linebacker D.J. Green stepped in front of a Central Michigan pass and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown to put State up 7-0.
The score remained the same for the next 15 minutes of play before the Wolfpack erupted for 28 second-quarter points.
The Wolfpack started the scoring with a nine-play, 68-yard drive at the outset of the second quarter, culminating in a 29-yard Shadrach Thornton touchdown run. State kept the ball on the ground for eight of the nine plays, including a nine-yard run by Bryant Shirreffs on 4th-and-1 that kept the NC State drive alive.
Two plays later, Thornton dashed into the end zone for his second rushing touchdown of the year to make the score 14-0.
After a Central Michigan three-and-out, NC State wasted no time getting on the board again. The Wolfpack needed just two plays - a 25-yard Thomas to Smith pass, followed by a 42-yard touchdown run by Matt Dayes - to push the advantage to 21-0. The run was the longest of Dayes' NC State career, topping his previous best of 21 yards.
A Mike Rose third-down sack stopped Central Michigan's ensuing drive, allowing for Smith's electrifying 67-yard punt return for a touchdown, making it 28-0 at the 6:54 mark of the second quarter. The Wolfpack would add one more score before the half as Thomas plunged into the end zone from eight yards out.
NC State added a pair of Niklas Sade field goals (46, 34) along with an 80-yard Thomas-to-Underwood pass to account for the second-half scoring. The 80-yard reception for Underwood was a career long, while it was also the first touchdown pass for Thomas in an NC State uniform.
The Wolfpack travels to Winston-Salem, N.C., next Saturday to take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in the first road contest under head coach Dave Doeren. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.
Team Stats

CMU 0, ST 7
ST - Green,D.J. 37 yd interception (Sade,N. kick)

CMU 0, ST 14
ST - Thornton,S. 29 yd run (Sade,N. kick), 9 plays, 68 yards, TOP 3:52

CMU 0, ST 21
ST - Dayes,M. 42 yd run (Sade,N. kick), 2 plays, 67 yards, TOP 0:26

CMU 0, ST 28
ST - Smith,R. 67 yd punt return (Sade,N. kick)

CMU 0, ST 35
ST - Thomas,P. 8 yd run (Sade,N. kick), 5 plays, 64 yards, TOP 2:19

CMU 0, ST 38
ST - Sade,N. 46 yd field goal 9 plays, 36 yards, TOP 3:55

CMU 7, ST 38
CMU - DAVIS, Titus 13 yd pass from RUSH, Cooper (COLUZZI, Ron kick) 9 plays, 78 yards, TOP 3:50

CMU 14, ST 38
CMU - SHOEMAKER, M. 38 yd run (COLUZZI, Ron kick), 3 plays, 53 yards, TOP 0:22

CMU 14, ST 45
ST - Underwood,B. 80 yd pass from Thomas,P. (Sade,N. kick) 1 plays, 80 yards, TOP 0:10

CMU 14, ST 48
ST - Sade,N. 34 yd field goal 4 plays, 0 yards, TOP 2:02