PITTSBURGH, PA – North Carolina needed just 11 seconds to erase a fourth-quarter deficit Saturday, but it was the Tar Heels' defense that made sure the lead would stand.

Billy Edwards Jr. connected with Shamar Easter on a 75-yard touchdown pass with 12:36 remaining, and North Carolina turned away Pitt's final four possessions to knock off the 25th-ranked Panthers, 21-17, at Acrisure Stadium.

The victory marked North Carolina's first win over a ranked opponent in three seasons and its first road triumph against a Top 25 team since defeating No. 9 Miami in 2020. It was also the first victory over a ranked opponent for head coach Bill Belichick, whose Tar Heels improved to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

Pitt (5-1, 2-1) suffered its first defeat despite controlling much of the game statistically. The Panthers outgained North Carolina 369-269, held a 150-20 advantage in rushing yards and possessed the football for more than 36 minutes.

North Carolina, however, made the most of its opportunities, scoring three touchdowns while holding Pitt to just one touchdown over the final three quarters.

The Panthers appeared to have regained control early in the fourth quarter when La'Vell Wright capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run. The score put Pitt ahead 17-14 with 12:47 remaining.

That advantage lasted exactly 11 seconds.

On the first play of North Carolina's ensuing possession, Edwards found Easter for a 75-yard touchdown that put the Tar Heels back in front for good. It was Easter's only reception of the afternoon.

The North Carolina defense handled the rest.

After forcing a punt on Pitt's next possession, the Tar Heels faced another challenge when Edwards was intercepted by Shadarian Harrison with 6:21 remaining. The turnover gave Pitt possession at the North Carolina 41-yard line, but the Panthers advanced only to the 21 before turning the ball over on downs.

Pitt received two more opportunities in the closing minutes, but both possessions ended with failed fourth-down attempts. The Panthers finished 0-for-4 on fourth down, with three of those failures coming in the final quarter.

The defensive stand completed a second-half turnaround for a North Carolina unit that had struggled to contain Pitt's rushing attack before halftime.

The Panthers rushed for 114 yards in the opening two quarters but managed just 36 yards on the ground after the break. Pitt also converted six of nine third downs in the first half before going just 1-for-7 in the second.

Derek McDonald and Xavier Lewis led the Tar Heels with 12 tackles apiece, while Gregory Smith III added eight tackles and an interception. Tre Miller also intercepted a pass and recorded four tackles.

North Carolina's offense had difficulty establishing a running game throughout the afternoon. The Tar Heels managed only 20 yards on 25 rushing attempts, including three sacks of Edwards for 23 yards in losses.

Edwards nevertheless provided the necessary production through the air, completing 18 of 26 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns, although he was intercepted twice.

Jordan Shipp led North Carolina with six receptions for 93 yards, while Jelani Thurman added six catches for 29 yards and a touchdown.

Pitt established an early advantage behind its running game, marching 75 yards in 12 plays on the opening possession. Wright finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown run to give the Panthers a 7-0 lead.

Antonio Chadha extended the margin to 10-0 with a 41-yard field goal midway through the second quarter.

North Carolina answered on its next possession, needing only five plays to cover 75 yards. Edwards opened the drive with a 49-yard completion to Shipp before connecting with Thurman for a seven-yard touchdown that cut the deficit to 10-7.

Pitt had an opportunity to add to its lead before halftime, but Chadha's 56-yard field goal attempt fell short with 17 seconds remaining.

The third quarter featured a series of turnovers as neither offense could establish much rhythm early in the half.

Cole Woodson intercepted Edwards on North Carolina's opening possession, setting Pitt up at the Tar Heel 31-yard line. Smith III answered with an interception in the end zone, preventing the Panthers from capitalizing on the favorable field position.

Miller later added another interception for North Carolina, but the Tar Heels were unable to turn that takeaway into points.

North Carolina finally broke through late in the third quarter with a 10-play, 51-yard touchdown drive. Demon June scored from one yard out with 22 seconds remaining in the period, giving the Tar Heels their first lead at 14-10.

Pitt responded with Wright's second touchdown on the ensuing possession, setting up Easter's decisive scoring play.

Wright finished with 45 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries. Damon Ferguson Jr. led Pitt's rushing attack with 49 yards on 15 attempts.

Making his first collegiate start, Pitt quarterback Holden Geriner completed 27 of 44 passes for 219 yards with two interceptions. Carson Kent led the Panthers with seven receptions for 61 yards, while Malik Knight contributed three catches for 62 yards.

Despite its substantial advantages in yardage, first downs and possession time, Pitt was unable to turn those numbers into a victory. The Panthers reached the red zone twice and scored touchdowns on both trips, but their final three possessions ended without points.

North Carolina will remain on the road next Saturday when it visits Duke on October 17. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2.

BREVARD – Three Brevard running backs surpassed 100 yards Saturday afternoon.

Belhaven's entire offense finished with two rushing yards.

That disparity told much of the story as Brevard opened USA South play with a dominant 51-8 victory over the Blazers at Ives-Lemel Family Field, keeping the Tornados unbeaten at 4-0.

Brevard rushed for 336 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 9.3 yards per carry. On the other side, a swarming Tornado defense recorded eight sacks and 13 tackles for loss while limiting Belhaven to 155 total yards.

Marvin Reed Jr. set the tone.

After a penalty backed Brevard up on its opening possession, the Tornados drove 94 yards in eight plays. Reed finished it by breaking loose for a 38-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

Belhaven twice threatened to answer in the first quarter, but came away empty both times. Brevard stopped the Blazers on fourth-and-one at the Tornado 28, then DJ Stevenson intercepted Ian Burleson inside the Brevard red zone later in the period.

The game remained 7-0 until late in the second quarter, when Brevard began to pull away.

Reed scored on a 33-yard run with 3:31 remaining, and the defense quickly forced Belhaven to punt from its own end zone. Brevard took over at the Blazers' 49 and needed only five plays to score again, with Reed punching it in from five yards out with 37 seconds left.

His third touchdown sent the Tornados into halftime ahead 21-0.

Brevard's defense had allowed just 56 yards in the half.

The Tornados continued to separate themselves after the break. Christian Conley capped an 11-play drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Herbert Pringle IV, pushing the lead to 28-0.

Belhaven then drove into Brevard territory, but consecutive sacks by the Tornado defense ended the threat on downs.

Two plays later, Zion Fauntleroy-McDaniel raced 58 yards for another touchdown.

Belhaven finally broke through when Matthew Dial connected with Wyatt Locastro for an 18-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Johnathan Lampkin caught the two-point conversion to make it 35-8.

Any momentum lasted 20 seconds.

On Brevard's next offensive snap, King Faison broke an 83-yard touchdown run.

Then the Tornado defense joined the scoring.

Azian-Antonio Simpson-Santiago tackled Julien Tabor in the end zone for a safety less than a minute later. On Belhaven's next punt, Cruz Wilson muffed the ball near his own goal line and DeShawn Allen recovered it in the end zone for another Brevard touchdown.

In less than three-and-a-half minutes of the fourth quarter, the score had gone from 35-8 to 51-8.

The rushing numbers were remarkable.

Fauntleroy-McDaniel led Brevard with 118 yards on seven carries, Reed finished with 103 yards and three touchdowns on 11 attempts, and Faison added 101 yards on nine carries. Together, the trio averaged more than 11 yards per attempt. Conley complemented the ground game by completing 17-of-24 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown.

Brevard's defense was just as disruptive. The Tornados produced 13 tackles for loss totaling 101 yards and eight sacks for 83 yards. Simpson-Santiago recorded three tackles for loss, while Stevenson added his interception.

The result sent Brevard to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in USA South play.

More importantly, the Tornados opened conference play by demonstrating they could dominate a game on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

DURHAM – Campbell spent much of Saturday night building a lead at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium. North Carolina Central spent the third quarter erasing it.

Then, with the game tied and the rain continuing to fall, the Fighting Camels found one final answer.

Kamden Sixkiller connected with Jyron Waiters for a nine-yard touchdown with 7:28 remaining, breaking a 31-31 tie and lifting No. 18/24 Campbell to a 38-31 victory over NC Central.

The win improved Campbell to 5-1, while Central fell to 2-4.

The night began about as well as the Eagles could have hoped.

On Campbell's opening possession, Sixkiller was intercepted by Cameron Williams, who returned the ball 19 yards. One play later, Nelson Layne raced 16 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 Central lead.

Campbell answered with Sixkiller's one-yard touchdown run, but Layne struck again, scoring from three yards out to put NCCU back ahead 14-7.

From there, the first quarter belonged to Campbell.

DeJuan Thomas broke loose for a 32-yard touchdown to tie the game, Alex Crabb connected on a 41-yard field goal and JJ Cowan scored from three yards out with 38 seconds remaining. The Camels emerged from a frantic opening quarter with a 24-14 advantage.

Thomas added his second touchdown, a four-yard run, early in the second quarter to stretch Campbell's run to 24 unanswered points and the lead to 31-14.

Central found a spark before halftime after turning to Cobey Thompkins at quarterback. Thompkins completed all four of his passes for 70 yards on the drive, including a 23-yard touchdown to Tristan Stitt with 2:28 remaining, sending the Eagles to the locker room trailing 31-21.

Then the game changed again.

Central controlled the third quarter while Campbell's offense went scoreless. Riley Daniels' 47-yard field goal cut the deficit to seven before Zion Dobson ripped off a 62-yard touchdown run with 6:31 remaining in the quarter.

In less than nine minutes, the Eagles had erased Campbell's 10-point halftime advantage and tied the game at 31.

Campbell finally regained control in the fourth.

Sixkiller directed an 11-play, 56-yard drive before finding Waiters for the nine-yard go-ahead touchdown with 7:28 remaining. The Camels' defense made the lead stand, including a fourth-down stop of Layne on a quarterback keeper during Central's fourth-quarter attempt to regain the advantage.

For a Campbell offense that entered the game with Sixkiller among the nation's most productive passers, it was the ground game that did much of the damage.

The Camels rushed for 262 yards and four touchdowns. Cowan carried 14 times for 139 yards, including a 66-yard run, while Thomas added 89 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. Sixkiller finished 18-of-35 for 226 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Central countered with 160 rushing yards, led by Dobson's 80 yards on 13 carries and Layne's 59 yards and two touchdowns. Chance Peterson caught 10 passes for 84 yards, while Stitt finished with three receptions for 58 yards and a score.

Campbell finished with 488 yards of offense to Central's 359 and held a 262-160 advantage on the ground. The Camels also possessed the ball for 32:02. Both teams converted 7-of-14 third downs.

The Eagles had done the difficult part, wiping away a 17-point deficit and turning what had threatened to become a Campbell runaway into a fourth-quarter tie.

But after Central scored 17 unanswered points, Campbell produced the game's final answer.

Sixkiller found Waiters, the defense held, and the nationally ranked Camels left Durham with their fifth victory of the season.

MARS HILL – Mars Hill needed a late comeback, a 52-yard field goal, a defensive stand at the end of regulation and four overtimes Saturday afternoon.

In the end, the Lions remained unbeaten.

Lukas Kachilo connected with Rayvon Durant on the decisive two-point conversion in the fourth overtime as No. 21 Mars Hill outlasted Tusculum 42-40 at Meares Stadium, improving to 5-0 overall and 4-0 in South Atlantic Conference play.

The victory left Mars Hill alone atop the SAC standings, but getting there required the Lions to erase a 31-21 deficit in the final 3:09 of regulation.

Kachilo started the comeback with a 61-yard touchdown pass to Greyson Council, cutting Tusculum's lead to 31-28. After the Mars Hill defense got the ball back, Matthias Newsome drilled a 52-yard field goal with 1:12 remaining to tie the game at 31.

Tusculum still had an opportunity to win in regulation.

The Pioneers moved to the Mars Hill 36 before quarterback Tedros Gleaton took a shot at the end zone. Ashton Hagans had a chance at the catch, but Jah'Mere La'Sane broke up the pass and sent the game to overtime.

That was when an already dramatic finish became chaotic.

Mars Hill got the ball first in overtime, and after two incompletions Kachilo found Brayden Marvel for a 25-yard touchdown. Newsome's extra point put the Lions ahead 38-31.

Tusculum answered immediately, scoring on its first play when Gleaton connected with Cam Ferguson for a 25-yard touchdown. The Pioneers then elected to go for two and appeared to have won when Gleaton found Brady Rinkus in the end zone.

An offensive pass interference penalty erased the conversion.

Backed up by the penalty, Tusculum settled for Max Turan's extra point and a 38-38 tie.

Neither team scored in the second overtime. Mars Hill stopped Gleaton inches short on fourth-and-two, giving the Lions an opportunity to win with any score. The Lions moved to the Tusculum 18, but Newsome's field-goal attempt went wide right.

Under the NCAA overtime format, the teams moved to alternating two-point attempts from there.

Kachilo found Jaden Watkins to give Mars Hill a 40-38 advantage in the third overtime. Tusculum answered on a broken play, with Gleaton recovering his own fumble before finding Zion Job in the end zone to extend the game.

In the fourth overtime, the Mars Hill defense finally created the opening it needed. Gleaton's pass fell incomplete on Tusculum's attempt.

Kachilo then ended it, finding Durant for the winning conversion and setting off a celebration for an unbeaten Mars Hill team that had been three minutes from its first loss.

The dramatic finish capped a big afternoon for Kachilo, who completed 23 of 44 passes for 324 yards and four touchdowns. He was intercepted once and sacked four times, but delivered when Mars Hill needed him most.

The Lions needed that production on an afternoon when Tusculum did something few opponents had managed against the Mars Hill defense.

The Pioneers accumulated 478 yards, including 285 on the ground, against a Lions unit that entered the afternoon allowing just 7.3 points per game and had not surrendered a rushing touchdown this season. Gleaton accounted for 299 yards of offense and four touchdowns, while Javon McMahan rushed for 123 yards.

Tusculum also controlled the football for nearly 40 minutes and forced three Mars Hill turnovers. The Pioneers finished with 21 first downs to Mars Hill's 17, while the Lions converted 7-of-15 third-down opportunities.

But Mars Hill made the plays it needed when the game was on the line.

Jamarion Farrior led the defense with 14 tackles, including two for loss, and recovered a fumble. La'Sane's breakup kept the Lions alive at the end of regulation. Newsome's 52-yarder got them to overtime.

And after nearly everything that could happen in overtime did, Kachilo and Durant finished it.

Mars Hill left Meares Stadium 5-0, alone atop the SAC and still unbeaten, by the narrowest of margins.

CHAPEL HILL – For 35 seconds of game time Saturday, North Carolina completely changed the complexion of its matchup with No. 3 Notre Dame.

The Tar Heels scored just before halftime and returned the second-half kickoff 98 yards for another touchdown, turning a 14-point deficit into a one-point game.

Notre Dame's response proved decisive.

The Fighting Irish answered with a 17-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that consumed 9:10, then increasingly turned to their running game as the rain intensified at Kenan Stadium. Notre Dame eventually pulled away for a 37-26 victory, dropping North Carolina to 2-2.

UNC had opened the afternoon much the way it would later open the second half. After forcing a punt, the Tar Heels drove 74 yards in seven plays, with Billy Edwards Jr. finding Shamar Easter for a six-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

But the game changed quickly.

CJ Carr answered with a 28-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Faison before Edwards threw interceptions on consecutive possessions. On the first, Notre Dame defensive end Boubacar Traore hit Edwards as he released the ball, allowing Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa to intercept the pass at the UNC 12.

One play later, Carr found Jaden Greathouse for a touchdown. Luke Talich intercepted Edwards on UNC's next possession, and Carr connected with Faison for a 39-yard score early in the second quarter.

In a span of just over six minutes, a 7-0 UNC lead had become a 21-7 deficit. 

The Tar Heels' offense had stalled after its opening drive, producing fewer than 20 yards on its next three possessions, but UNC finally found life just before halftime. Edwards completed 7-of-8 passes for 77 yards during a 15-play, 97-yard drive, finishing it with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jelani Thurman with 21 seconds remaining.

Then came another jolt.

Jaden Jefferson took the second-half kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, giving UNC two touchdowns in 35 seconds of game time. A botched snap prevented the extra point, leaving Notre Dame ahead 21-20.

The Irish responded by taking the game back on the ground.

Notre Dame ran 13 times for 73 yards on its ensuing 17-play drive, converting twice on fourth down before Carr's three-yard touchdown run. The possession consumed more than nine minutes and left UNC's offense watching from the sideline for most of the third quarter.

Notre Dame continued leaning on the run as conditions deteriorated. The Irish eventually accumulated 241 rushing yards, including 166 after halftime, while UNC managed only 77 for the game. Jonaz Walton led the way with 120 yards on 23 carries. 

Carr's six-yard touchdown pass to Nolan James Jr. early in the fourth extended the lead to 34-20, and Spencer Porath's 31-yard field goal made it 37-20.

UNC produced one final scoring drive, with Edwards finding Thurman for a 10-yard touchdown with 2:36 remaining. Notre Dame blocked the extra point, and the Tar Heels got no closer.

Edwards finished 17-of-28 for 208 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Jordan Shipp caught seven passes for 109 yards, while Thurman finished with five receptions for 50 yards and two scores. Carr went 21-of-29 for 234 yards and four touchdowns, with Faison catching eight passes for 132 yards and two scores. 

Notre Dame finished with a 475-285 advantage in total offense and held the ball for 37:04. 

For UNC, the frustrating part was how close the Tar Heels came to changing the game. They erased almost the entirety of a 21-7 deficit in 35 seconds surrounding halftime.

Then Notre Dame took the ball and, for more than nine minutes, wouldn't give it back.

CHARLOTTE – Charlotte’s Homecoming Saturday started earlier than expected and ended with Memphis firmly in control.

With kickoff moved to 11 a.m. because of impending inclement weather, Memphis scored 24 unanswered points in the first half before pulling away for a 59-8 win over Charlotte at Jerry Richardson Stadium.

The Tigers did most of their damage through the air early. After both teams punted on their opening possessions, Memphis quarterback Marcus Stokes connected with Jermane Hayes for a 93-yard touchdown with 10:25 remaining in the first quarter.

Stokes added a 25-yard touchdown pass to Jemyri Davis later in the quarter and found Hunter Tipton from 28 yards out early in the second. Philippe Laforge's 20-yard field goal as time expired sent Memphis into halftime with a 24-0 advantage. 

Heavy rain arrived around halftime and continued through much of the second half, but Charlotte briefly found a spark immediately after the break.

On the first play from scrimmage of the third quarter, Henry Rutledge broke free for a 75-yard touchdown run. Cole Gonzales then connected with Lane Wadle for the two-point conversion, cutting the Memphis lead to 24-8.

It was Charlotte's only score.

Memphis answered with 35 consecutive points. Stokes threw a 19-yard touchdown to Braylon Burnside and later connected with Tipton for a 24-yard score. Dallan Hayden added an eight-yard touchdown run to make it 45-8 entering the fourth quarter. Air Noland threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Brady Kluse in the final period before Jordan Thompson's one-yard run completed the scoring. 

Stokes finished 20-of-25 for 318 yards and five touchdowns without an interception. Hayes caught six passes for 123 yards, while Tipton had three catches for 60 yards and two touchdowns. Memphis finished with 674 yards of total offense, including 386 through the air and 288 on the ground. 

Charlotte, meanwhile, struggled to sustain possessions. The 49ers finished with 209 total yards, with Rutledge's 75-yard touchdown accounting for more than a third of that production. He finished with 111 yards on six carries. Gonzales went 6-of-14 for 73 yards with an interception, while Jaylen White completed one of two attempts for four yards. 

The disparity was especially pronounced on third down. Charlotte converted just 1-of-10 opportunities, compared with 10-of-16 for Memphis. The Tigers ran 89 plays to Charlotte's 40 and held the ball for 36:52. Charlotte also lost three of its four fumbles. 

Charlotte coach Tim Albin said afterward that the 49ers needed to be better on third down.

For Charlotte, it was a difficult Homecoming afternoon in increasingly difficult conditions. The rain arrived after the Tigers had established the lead, and Memphis never allowed the 49ers to work their way back into the game.

RALEIGH – Seven days earlier, NC State was one play away from leaving Nashville with a victory.

Instead, the Wolfpack experienced about as painful a finish as football can provide.

NC State took possession at its own 2-yard line with 1:04 remaining against Vanderbilt and a 31-28 lead. But as the Wolfpack attempted to run out the clock, quarterback CJ Bailey was hit and lost the football in the end zone. Vanderbilt recovered for a touchdown as time expired, turning what appeared to be an NC State victory into a stunning 35-31 loss. 

So when a 21-point lead disappeared Saturday night at Carter-Finley Stadium, when App State turned an interception, a touchdown, a surprise onside kick and another touchdown into a 31-31 tie, NC State found itself facing another late-game test.

This time, the Wolfpack finished.

NC State answered App State's furious comeback with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, reclaimed the lead on Duke Scott's 16-yard touchdown run and scored the final 10 points of a wild 41-31 victory before 56,919 fans.

“Everything this week's been about finish for obvious reasons,” NC State coach Dave Doeren said. “We needed to finish, and we did.” 

The victory moved NC State to 2-2 and handed App State its first loss of the season after a 3-0 start. It also extended the Wolfpack's perfect record against the Mountaineers to 7-0 in the first meeting between the programs since 2006. 

For much of the first half, there was little indication NC State would need any late-game heroics.

The Wolfpack took the opening possession 75 yards in 10 plays, with Bailey scoring on a five-yard run.

The drive also produced the first of two plays App State might look back on and wonder what could have been.

Near the goal line, Colton Phares appeared to rip the football from Scott and raced 49 yards in the opposite direction. Instead of a turnover that would have given App State possession in NC State territory, officials ruled Scott's forward progress had been stopped before the ball came free. Two plays later, Bailey scored.

App State coach Dowell Loggains disagreed with the ruling but wasn't interested in blaming it for the loss.

“I know it's a judgment call,” Loggains said. “In real time, it felt like it was a fumble and felt like holding the ball on the 50-yard line, and the official saw it differently.” 

NC State kept rolling.

Scott scored from nine yards out with five seconds remaining in the opening quarter before Bailey found Ashton Locklear for a 10-yard touchdown midway through the second.

It was 21-0.

App State finally broke through with a five-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Singleton completed passes of 27 and 30 yards to Darrin Fugitt before scoring himself on a three-yard keeper.

But NC State answered again.

Bailey found Keenan Jackson for a 17-yard touchdown with 39 seconds remaining, restoring a three-touchdown advantage at 28-7.

App State could easily have gone quietly to halftime.

Instead, Singleton completed four consecutive passes in the final 39 seconds, including a 30-yarder to Nate Branch, setting up James London's 48-yard field goal as time expired.

The three points made it 28-10. More importantly, they gave the Mountaineers something positive to carry into halftime.

“We needed something good to happen right there,” Loggains said. “It was really huge just coming in the locker room.” 

App State refuses to go away

That momentum carried immediately into the second half.

On App State's first offensive snap, Singleton connected with Sam Pickett III for 54 yards to the NC State 21.

The Mountaineers converted a fourth-and-one later in the possession, and Jaquari Lewis scored from two yards out to make it 28-17.

NC State responded with a much different kind of drive.

The Wolfpack consumed 6:45 with a 13-play, 69-yard march. App State kept NC State out of the end zone, but Kanoah Vinesett kicked a 23-yard field goal to push the advantage back to 31-17. 

That possession included another potential App State takeaway.

Alex Mitchell stripped the ball from an NC State receiver near the sideline and recovered it. After review, officials ruled the football was touching the receiver while he was out of bounds, allowing NC State to retain possession.

This time, Loggains said he believed officials got the call right.

He also made clear afterward that neither ruling was why App State lost.

“I think it was us,” Loggains said. “There were too many self-inflicted things.”

NC State's efficiency demonstrated his point.

The Wolfpack converted 11 of 17 third downs, possessed the football for 36:23 and went a perfect 7-for-7 on red-zone opportunities. NC State ran 79 offensive plays compared with App State's 61 and finished with 459 yards. 

“You want to go on the road and play an ACC opponent and you want to beat them, you've got to play a lot better,” Loggains said. “You can't make errors.” 

But if App State hadn't played cleanly enough to win through three quarters, the Mountaineers were about to give themselves a chance anyway.

107 seconds changes everything

NC State still led 31-17 early in the fourth when Keaton Braddock drilled Bailey as the quarterback attempted to throw.

The ball popped forward and landed in the arms of defensive tackle Aaron Clark.

This turnover counted.

App State took possession at the NC State 42, and five plays later Singleton found Pickett for an 18-yard touchdown.

The Mountaineers were within seven.

Then came the play that transformed the atmosphere inside Carter-Finley.

Because NC State was penalized for roughing the passer on the touchdown, App State kicked off from midfield. London tapped a dribbling onside kick straight ahead, catching the Wolfpack off guard.

Joe Reddish recovered.

App State had stolen another possession.

Loggains said the Mountaineers had seen an opportunity and were prepared to take advantage of it.

“We knew when we got in the situation — and plus where the field position was — it was kind of a no-risk play,” Loggains said. “You got to try to find a way to steal a possession.” 

Four plays later, App State was in the end zone again.

Singleton hit Lewis for 18 yards to reach the red zone. Then, facing third-and-one from the 9, the Mountaineers got aggressive again.

Singleton faked the handoff.

True freshman tight end Gavin Barber slipped into the end zone uncovered.

Touchdown.

London's extra point tied the game at 31 with 9:41 remaining.

In 107 seconds, App State had scored 14 points.

A team that once trailed 21-0 had erased the entire deficit.

“I think our guys believe and I think they've got a lot of fight in them,” Loggains said. “They battled, they fought.”

But App State hadn't come to Raleigh looking for a moral victory.

“We came here to try to win the football game,” Loggains said, “and we didn't get that done.” 

One more chance to finish

If anyone understood the weight of NC State's next possession, it was Bailey.

A week earlier, the football had come out of his hands on the final play at Vanderbilt.

Now NC State had watched another late lead disappear, and Bailey was heading back onto the field with the game tied.

He said there was no panic.

“Everybody relax,” Bailey recalled telling his teammates on the sideline. “Just calm down. We got this, bro. One play at a time.”

He gathered the offense together before it returned to the field.

“We've all been in positions before like this,” Bailey said. “We just had to keep a level head.” 

Then NC State did exactly that.

The Wolfpack went 75 yards in nine plays and took 4:33 off the clock.

And when NC State needed someone to finish the drive, it turned to Scott.

The running back bounced outside and raced 16 yards into the end zone.

NC State 38, App State 31.

Scott finished with 148 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, leading a Wolfpack rushing attack that accumulated 206 yards. App State managed only 62 yards on the ground. 

Doeren called Scott a “workhorse.”

“He's got a second gear that can run away from people, but he's low to the ground,” Doeren said. “He's patient and explosive.” 

Bailey was even more appreciative of having Scott behind him.

“It's very relieving,” Bailey said. “It takes a lot of stress off of me as well.”

He also directed credit toward an offensive line that allowed NC State to lean on its ground game when it mattered most.

“It starts with y'all,” Bailey said of the message to the linemen. “It don't start with me. It starts with y'all up front.” 

App State still had 5:08 to answer.

The Mountaineers moved near midfield but soon faced third-and-two.

Singleton's pass fell incomplete.

On fourth-and-two, Jackson Vick broke up another attempt across the middle.

NC State took over at the App State 33 with 3:59 remaining.

The Wolfpack didn't immediately settle for a kick. They kept the football for more than two minutes before Vinesett connected from 35 yards, finally giving NC State some breathing room at 41-31.

App State made one final push and moved inside the Wolfpack 25. Needing two scores, the Mountaineers attempted a 42-yard field goal on fourth-and-one with 47 seconds left.

London missed.

This time, Bailey could finish the night in victory formation.

Two teams leave Raleigh with something to remember

The final numbers reflected two very different offensive approaches.

NC State established control on the ground, rushing 46 times for 206 yards while Bailey completed 24 of 33 passes for 253 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Ten Wolfpack players caught passes.

App State relied heavily on Singleton's arm. He completed 26 of 38 attempts for 317 yards and two touchdowns without throwing an interception. Pickett finished with 97 receiving yards, Branch had 87 and Fugitt added 63. 

The Mountaineers leave Raleigh at 3-1 knowing they were capable of climbing out of a 21-point hole against an ACC opponent.

They also leave knowing the comeback wasn't enough.

“Our kids fought hard,” Loggains said. “I'm really proud of their resiliency, but you're not going to beat a team like that making self-inflicted things.” 

App State now gets an open week before beginning Sun Belt play at home against Old Dominion on Oct. 10. NC State remains home to face Louisville next Saturday.

For the Wolfpack, though, Saturday night's significance went beyond getting back to .500.

Seven days earlier, NC State had walked off a field in Nashville after seeing a victory disappear on the final play.

Against App State, another comfortable lead vanished.

The Mountaineers kept coming. They forced the turnover. They recovered the onside kick. They erased 21 points and silenced much of a sold-out Carter-Finley Stadium.

NC State had every reason to remember what happened a week earlier.

Instead, Bailey gathered his teammates.

The offensive line went to work.

Scott carried the Wolfpack back into the end zone.

The defense got the stop.

And after a week spent talking about how to finish a football game, NC State finally got the opportunity to show it could.

This time, the Wolfpack finished.