Rivalry Win Streak vs UNC Continues

Rivalry games hit differently and the volume level of the celebration in NC State's football locker room following the Pack's win at Kenan Stadium on Saturday is evidence.

The Wolfpack topped the Tar Heels 35-30, earning the fourth straight win in the rivalry and the seventh out of the last nine.

The win also made the Wolfpack bowl eligible for the fifth-straight season, but that achievement wasn't the focus before or after the game.

"Beating Carolina mattered more than winning a game to be bowl eligible to me," head coach Dave Doeren said after the win. "That may sound weird, but when I got hired, they didn't say, 'win six and go to a bowl.' They said, 'Whatever you do, beat Carolina,' and we did that for the fourth year in a row. That means a lot."

Doeren improved to 8-4 against the Tar Heels with five of those wins coming on Carolina's home turf.

Last week, NC State lost a one-point heartbreaker at Georgia Tech. In the game with North Carolina, there were some strange similarities.

In both games, the Pack scored one touchdown in the first three quarters then erupted for 22 points in the final quarter (the last time NC State had back-to-back games with 20-point fourth quarters in ACC play was 1986.)

In the first half against UNC, the Pack's passing game produced just 19 yards on 3 of 8 passes with an interception. But in the second half, CJ Bailey heated up, completing 11 of 12 for 223 yards and two touchdown tosses.

"I know I had to play for my guys," Bailey said. "We had a big talk. My mindset going into the second half was to play much better."

The Pack never punted in the second half.

Bailey's first TD strike in the fourth quarter was to tight end Dante Daniels, who made his third catch of the season and scored his first touchdown, to tie the game at 20-20. Bailey's second TD strike in the fourth quarter was to KC Concepcion to put the Pack up three.

But Carolina would score to take a one-point lead with 1:51 to go.

And just like the game at Georgia Tech last week, NC State had a final drive with an opportunity to erase a deficit and escape with a road win.

This time, there would be no bitter disappointment.

The key play came on 1st and 20 from the Pack 39. Bailey, showing great confidence in his receivers, threw deep to Noah Rogers. Even though he was draped by two Tar Heel defenders, Rogers made the contested catch. First down Wolfpack on the North Carolina 17.

"I'm just glad to be a part of a team that just wants to win and whose will is there to fight," Rogers said after the game. "It could be one play that changes everything."

The beautiful catch by Rogers will be remembered forever in this series. The play set up a game-winning touchdown by Hollywood Smothers, his second rushing score of the game. 35-30 is the final result and the byproduct is an extended season that makes it 10 bowl trips in the last 11 years.

But what really set off the celebration was beating your rival, in their house, and extending your win streak over Carolina to four.

Davin Vann, whose sixth forced fumble led to the Pack's first touchdown, couldn't wipe the smile off of this face.

"Very special," said the captain. "It's been fun being able to whoop up on them every year I've been here."

Yes, rivalry games do run deeper.

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Team Stats

CJ Bailey

KC Concepcion

Players Mentioned

CJ Bailey

KC Concepcion

Dante Daniels

Noah Rogers

Hollywood Smothers

Davin Vann