Wolfpack’s Season Comes to a Close in Go Bowling Military Bowl
12/28/2024 9:36:00 PM | Football
ANNAPOLIS, MD. – After trailing 20-7 entering the fourth quarter, the Wolfpack scored 14 unanswered points to take a 21-20 lead with under 10 minutes in the game. It wouldn't be enough as East Carolina won the Go Bowling Military Bowl 26-21 Saturday night from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
With only 1:33 left in the game and a third and 10 from the ECU 14-yard line, the Pirate's Rahjai Harris went 86 yards for a touchdown to give ECU a 26-21 lead.
Harris would finish the game with 220 yards rushing, resulting in the third most yards given up by the Wolfpack in a bowl game.
With one more opportunity for NC State (6-7) to drive down the field and win, ECU came away with an interception to seal the game.
CJ Bailey finished the night 19-26 for 230 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. Hollywood Smothers totaled 172 yards, with 139 on the ground and a 33-yard receiving touchdown.
Noah Rogers led the way for the Wolfpack in the receiving department with five receptions for 59 yards. Decari Collins and Justin Joly each caught a touchdown, and eight NC State receivers caught a pass.
The comeback was started on a fourth down as Bailey found Joly on a fourth and two with a 15-yard touchdown pass to make it a one-score game.
As he has all year, Smothers electrified the crowd as NC State broke out the trick play with Smothers, Kennan Jackson, and Bailey all touching the ball before Bailey found Smothers with blockers in front as he took 33 yards untouched into the end zone to put NC State 21-20.
Temarcus Cooley led the NC State defense with nine tackles, including one for a loss. His two interceptions late in the fourth quarter also helped give NC State a chance to close the game.
With his three touchdown passes, Bailey is tied for second-most touchdown passes in a bowl game, matching Ryan Finley (2016) and Mike Glennon (2011).
Despite leading in all offensive categories, the Wolfpack was down 7-0 after the first quarter. A promising opening drive for NC State stalled when East Carolina got a fourth down stop. The Pirates went on to capitalize, using a 10-play 75-yard drive for a touchdown.
Another promising drive saw the Wolfpack come up empty as Kanoah Vinesett missed a 34-yard field goal.
The defense kept East Carolina out of the end zone after a 6:17 drive and held them to a field goal, allowing the Pirates to take a 10-0 lead midway through the second quarter.
NC State got on the board and cut into the ECU lead with a Collins touchdown just before the two-minute timeout. The third and eight-yard reception was his second touchdown of the season.
A 42-yard field goal from ECU with six seconds left in the first half made it 13-7 as the teams headed into the locker room. Neither team punted the football in the first half, and Bailey threw one incompletion, going 10-11 for 101 yards.
East Carolina drove down the field on its opening drive of the second half and scored a touchdown, making it 20-7 before the Wolfpack's comeback and exciting finish.
These two teams will meet again in the first game of the year next season to kick off the 2025 football season.
With only 1:33 left in the game and a third and 10 from the ECU 14-yard line, the Pirate's Rahjai Harris went 86 yards for a touchdown to give ECU a 26-21 lead.
Harris would finish the game with 220 yards rushing, resulting in the third most yards given up by the Wolfpack in a bowl game.
With one more opportunity for NC State (6-7) to drive down the field and win, ECU came away with an interception to seal the game.
CJ Bailey finished the night 19-26 for 230 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. Hollywood Smothers totaled 172 yards, with 139 on the ground and a 33-yard receiving touchdown.
Noah Rogers led the way for the Wolfpack in the receiving department with five receptions for 59 yards. Decari Collins and Justin Joly each caught a touchdown, and eight NC State receivers caught a pass.
The comeback was started on a fourth down as Bailey found Joly on a fourth and two with a 15-yard touchdown pass to make it a one-score game.
As he has all year, Smothers electrified the crowd as NC State broke out the trick play with Smothers, Kennan Jackson, and Bailey all touching the ball before Bailey found Smothers with blockers in front as he took 33 yards untouched into the end zone to put NC State 21-20.
Temarcus Cooley led the NC State defense with nine tackles, including one for a loss. His two interceptions late in the fourth quarter also helped give NC State a chance to close the game.
With his three touchdown passes, Bailey is tied for second-most touchdown passes in a bowl game, matching Ryan Finley (2016) and Mike Glennon (2011).
Despite leading in all offensive categories, the Wolfpack was down 7-0 after the first quarter. A promising opening drive for NC State stalled when East Carolina got a fourth down stop. The Pirates went on to capitalize, using a 10-play 75-yard drive for a touchdown.
Another promising drive saw the Wolfpack come up empty as Kanoah Vinesett missed a 34-yard field goal.
The defense kept East Carolina out of the end zone after a 6:17 drive and held them to a field goal, allowing the Pirates to take a 10-0 lead midway through the second quarter.
NC State got on the board and cut into the ECU lead with a Collins touchdown just before the two-minute timeout. The third and eight-yard reception was his second touchdown of the season.
A 42-yard field goal from ECU with six seconds left in the first half made it 13-7 as the teams headed into the locker room. Neither team punted the football in the first half, and Bailey threw one incompletion, going 10-11 for 101 yards.
East Carolina drove down the field on its opening drive of the second half and scored a touchdown, making it 20-7 before the Wolfpack's comeback and exciting finish.
These two teams will meet again in the first game of the year next season to kick off the 2025 football season.
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