Wolfpack Shines Under the Lights in 39-25 win over #17 Louisville

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RALEIGH, N.C. – No. 24 NC State scored touchdowns on back-to-back drives spanning the third and fourth quarters and clinched the game on a 25-yard interception return for another score in the closing minutes to win its fifth straight game with a 39-25 defeat of No. 17 Louisville Thursday night at Carter-Finley Stadium.

With the win, NC State starts ACC action with a 3-0 mark for the first time since the 2002 season. Tonight's win over #17 Louisville, and the previous win over #12 Florida State on Sept. 23, marks the first time the Pack has defeated two ranked ACC foes in the same season since 2006.

In the first battle of ranked foes at Carter-Finley since 2000, tonight marked the first time since 1992 that NC State defeated a ranked team at Carter-Finley Stadium while it was also ranked at the time of the game (Wake Forest).

After Louisville cut the score to 17-13 late in the third quarter, the Wolfpack scored touchdowns on two straight drives, with 1:35 left in the third quarter and then five minutes into the fourth, to go up 32-19 with 10:07 remaining after a two-point conversion.

Louisville got the game to a single-possession contest with a TD with 4:10 left at 32-25. After holding the Pack to a three-and-out, Louisville got the ball back with 3:07 left but pinned back at their 10-yard line.

After an incompletion, LB Germaine Pratt picked off a Louisville pass and returned it 25 yards for the game clinching score with just under three minutes left.

QB Ryan Finley threw for 367 yards, RB Nyheim Hines went over 100 yards for the seconds straight game and added a pair of scores, while Kelvin Harmon (133) and Jaylen Samuels (104) both finished with over 100 yards receiving.

After a scoreless first quarter, the two teams combined for 27 points in the second quarter. The scoring started three minutes into the quarter when NC State's Ryan Finley found Kelvin Harmon for a 48-yard score.

Louisville answered with a touchdown of its own on the ensuing possession, a 23-yard Lamar Jackson to Seth Dawkins score to even the game at 7-7. The Pack tacked on a field goal and then Nyheim Hines scampered in for an 11-yard score with 1:47 left before the half. The Cardinals kicked a field goal to end the opening 30 minutes, as NC State held a 17-10 lead.

NC State has now defeated two ranked foes for the first time since the 2010 season, and the first time defeating two in the regular season since 2008.

WOLFPACK SPOTLIGHT DRIVE – 1^st half
5 plays, 59 yards in 1:42 – Ryan Finley to Kelvin Harmon 48-yard TD pass

After a scoreless first quarter, NC State opened the scoring with the first TD of the game three minutes into the second quarter. NC State went 59 yards in just five plays, with QB Ryan Finley finding WR Kelvin Harmon deep over the middle for a 48-yard score. The 48-yard reception was a season-high for Harmon.

WOLFPACK SPOTLIGHT DRIVE – 2nd half
9 plays, 78 yards in 3:36 – Nyheim Hines 7-yard TD run

After Louisville cut the Pack's lead to 17-13, NC State's Nyheim Hines' scored his second rushing TD of the day late in the third quarter. Going 78 yards in nine plays, the drive was finished off with a 7-yard Hines TD score. On the drive, Hines had 52 yards rushing and 11 yards receiving of the Pack's 78 on the drive.

STAT LEADERS
• QB Ryan Finley
20-of-31 for 367 yards, 1 TD

• RB Nyheim Hines
18 rushes for 102 yards, 2 TDs
105 kickoff return yards – 225 total yards

• WR Kelvin Harmon
6 catches for 133 yards, 1 TD

• H-Back Jaylen Samuels
7 catches for 104 yards

• S Jarius Morehead
11 tackles, 7 solo

• DT Eurndraus Bryant
2 sacks

FROM THE LOCKER ROOM
"I'm really proud of our players and our coaching staff. What a win. Great football game. Bunch of players on both teams playing hard. When you can play like that in that environment, it was electric. Our student section was the best I've ever seen it tonight, and we'd love for it to be like that every week. They make our team so much better when they do that for us. Thank you to our fans for that." - NC State head coach Dave Doeren

UP NEXT
The Wolfpack will be in road action next weekend, as the Wolfpack heads up to Pittsburgh for an ACC contest. The game will kick off at noon, and be televised by RSN.

Wolfpack Shines Under the Lights in 39-25 win over #17 Louisville

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Team Stats

Ryan Finley

Jaylen Samuels

Players Mentioned

Eurndraus Bryant

Ryan Finley

Kelvin Harmon

Nyheim Hines

Jarius Morehead

Germaine Pratt

Jaylen Samuels

Dexter Wright

Players Mentioned

Eurndraus Bryant

Ryan Finley

Kelvin Harmon

Nyheim Hines

Jarius Morehead

Germaine Pratt

Jaylen Samuels

Dexter Wright