The North Carolina State Wolfpack improved their record to 8-2 this afternoon as they knocked off the Wake Forest Demon Deacons 31-14 in Carter-Finley Stadium. The Wolfpack lost to the Deacons in Winston-Salem last season, so this victory serves as a bit of payback, if you will.
The Wolfpack jumped out to a 7-0 lead early, but then their progress stalled. Wake Forest was on the verge of tying the game up at a touchdown apiece late in the second quarter until C.J. Wilson jumped in front of Ted Stachitas' pass and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown to put the Wolfpack up 14-0 at halftime.
From there on out, NC State controlled the flow of the game and, as such, cruised to a 31-14 victory.
NC State will close out the regular season over the course of the next two weeks as the Wolfpack will take on #18 North Carolina and Maryland.
C.J. Wilson's pick-six:
Brandon Barnes scores on a late touchdown run to put NC State up 31-14:
NCAA Scoreboard - Wake Forest (5-5) at NC State (8-2)
It wasn't supposed to be this way. The Mountaineers, who are considered by many to be in the National Title hunt, aren't supposed to be forced into overtime against 3-6 teams at home. But whatever it was supposed to be like, it didn't matter as the Cincinnati Bearcats pushed the Mountaineers to the edge and almost over the breaking point as West Virginia defeated the Bearcats 27-24 in overtime.
Cornerback Brandon Hogan walked away as the hero today. He totaled two interceptions on the day, but his most important interception of the day came in overtime. West Virginia kicker Tyler Bitancurt had just hit a 45-yard field goal to push West Virginia ahead 27-24 in the first overtime period. Cincinnati quarterback Chazz Anderson put up an ill-advised pass and Brandon Hogan picked it off and fell to the ground to give the Mountaineers a much-needed 27-24 victory.
Cincinnati starting quarterback Zach Collaros was knocked out of the game late in the third quarter. Collaros had an efficient day, throwing for 135 yards and a touchdown and completing 15 of 20 passes. In came Chazz Anderson for the Bearcats. While he didn't do a bad job filling in for Collaros, he also didn't to spectacular. He threw for the go-ahead touchdown which gave Cincinnati a 24-21 lead late in the fourth quarter. However, he also thew a couple picks, including the one which lost the game.
With the loss, Cincinnati drops to 3-6 (0-4 Big East). It will take a miracle for the Bearcats to make a bowl game this year as first-year head coach Butch Jones if feeling the pressure from the fan base, who grew accustomed to 10+ win per year under the departed Brian Kelly, who is now coaching the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who are 6-3 thus far this year, their losses coming to #12 Michigan, #16 Stanford, and Pittsburgh.
West Virginia improves to 8-0 and is only three games away from a perfect regular season and a Big East Championship. However, their last three games are against Louisville, Pittsburgh, and #23 Rutgers, who own a collective Big East Conference record of 6-4, so it won't be easy.
Hogan's game-winning interception:
NCAA Scoreboard - Cincinnati (3-6) at West Virginia (8-0)
Location: Rhode Island (Home), Massachusetts (College)
Re: NC State Wolfpack/West Virginia Mountaineers (NCAA 11)
At least you still have the shot at the BCS birth alive... Just gonna have to beat G-Tech/V-Tech, although I find option easy to stop so thats who you probably want to play lol