Unanswered Points Lead #9 Notre Dame to 35-14 win over #14 NC State

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SOUTH BEND, IND. – After #14 NC State (6-2) took a 14-7 lead on the second play of the second quarter, #9 Notre Dame (7-1) scored 28 unanswered points and snapped the Pack's six-game winning streak with a 35-14 win in South Bend on Saturday.

The Wolfpack started the scoring five minutes into the game, DE James Smith-Williams blocked a Notre Dame punt, and LB Germaine Pratt fell on the ball in the end zone to give the Pack a 7-0 lead. The Irish answered on the ensuing drive, going 60 yards in two plays to tie the game 7-7.

NC State once again grabbed the lead, this time on the second play of the second quarter. QB Ryan Finley found WR Kelvin Harmon from 15 yards out. The Irish then scored 14 unanswered and held a 21-14 lead.

Notre Dame would tack on a pair of TDs in the third quarter to go ahead 35-14.

WOLFPACK SPOTLIGHT DRIVE
7 plays, 71 yards in 2:46 – Ryan Finley to Kelvin Harmon 15-yard TD pass

After the teams traded touchdowns in the first quarter, NC State went ahead 14-7 on the second play of the second quarter. NC state went 71 yards in seven plays, with QB Ryan Finley finding WR Kelvin Harmon for a 15-yard score. Finley also connected with Stephen Louis for a 42-yard pass play earlier in the drive.

STAT LEADERS
• QB Ryan Finley
17-of-37 for 213 yards, 1 TD

• RB Reggie Gallaspy
11 rushes for 47 yards

• WR Kelvin Harmon
7 catches for 97 yards, 1 TD

• LB Jerod Fernandez
13 tackles, 7 solo, 1.5 TFLs

• LB Germaine Pratt
8 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 TD (recovered blocked punt)

• DE Bradley Chubb
8 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 sack

NOTABLES
• For the second straight year, NC State blocked a punt and scored a TD against Notre Dame. Last year, NC State blocked a punt and returned it for the game's lone TD. Today, the Pack's first TD was a blocked punt recovered in the end zone five minutes into the game.

• LB Germaine Pratt scored his second touchdown of the season, INT return vs. Louisville and blocked punt recovered in the end zone today. Pratt is the first defensive player at NC State to scour a pair of touchdowns in a season since David Amerson in 2011.

• Starting RB Nyheim Hines was hurt after only two carries, and did not return to the game. Hines came into the game with three straight 100+ rushing games, but without his services today NC State was held to just 50 rushing yards – its lowest team total since last year's Boston College game.

• The Irish's first quarter touchdown was the first against NC State in three games. In the previous two matchups between the teams, the Pack held Notre Dame to a total of three field goals.

• QB Ryan Finley has thrown at least one TD in every game this season.

• NC State was flagged 11 times in the first half. Prior to today, the most penalties in a game for NC State was eight in the season opener versus South Carolina.

• For the first time this season, NC State faced a halftime deficit (21-14).

• Notre Dame RB Josh Adams was the first 100+ yard rusher against the NC State defense this season.

• QB Ryan Finley threw his first interception of the season, and had his streak of 339 attempts without an INT snapped – which dated back to last season. The streak of 339 passes without an INT stands as second-best in both ACC and NC State history (Russell Wilson – 379).

• The INT was returned for a 69-yard score, the first INT returned for a touchdown against the Wolfpack since Duke in 2013.

UP NEXT
NC State returns to Carter-Finely Stadium for the first time in a month, as the Wolfpack will host No. 7 Clemson next Saturday for Homecoming. The game time will be announced Sunday morning.

Unanswered Points Lead #9 Notre Dame to 35-14 win over #14 NC State

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Team Stats

Ryan Finley

Players Mentioned

Bradley Chubb

Jerod Fernandez

Ryan Finley

Kelvin Harmon

Nyheim Hines

Stephen Louis

Germaine Pratt

James Smith-Williams

Players Mentioned

Bradley Chubb

Jerod Fernandez

Ryan Finley

Kelvin Harmon

Nyheim Hines

Stephen Louis

Germaine Pratt

James Smith-Williams