Wolfpack complete big turnaround season with Bitcoin Bowl victory
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A turnaround season got a little sweeter for North Carolina State in the Bitcoin Bowl.
The Wolfpack took another step forward under second-year coach Dave Doeren on Friday night with a 34-27 victory over Central Florida that wasn’t as close as the final score.
N.C. State (8-5) dominated for three quarters before Justin Holman threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes to help UCF pull within seven.
“This is just the beginning,” Doeren told cheering Wolfpack fans listening to a postgame interview over the public address system at Tropicana Field. “Go Pack!”
Jacoby Brissett threw for 262 yards and one touchdown and Matt Dayes scored on runs of 24 and 15 yards for N.C. State, which won just three games in its first season under Doeren.
“I can’t wait for next season, there’s no telling how far this team can go,” Brissett said. “I’m excited in the direction we’re going. This is a great program to be at. Everything is set up for us to have success.”
Brissett tossed a 37-yard TD pass to Johnathan Alston to put the Wolfpack ahead for good in the second quarter. Running back Shadrach Thornton got NC State going early with an 18-yard scoring pass to Jaylen Samuels.
Brissett was 15 of 26 with no interceptions, completing passes to eight receivers.
Thornton rushed for 96 yards on 17 carries and Dayes finished with 78 yards on 13 attempts to key a ground attack that produced 188 yards.
UCF (9-4) began the night ranked in the top 10 in fewest yards allowed per game, as well as pass efficiency, rushing and scoring defense.
But the American Athletic Conference co-champions had no answers for Brissett and a supporting cast that amassed 488 yards of total offense – more than 200 more than opponents averaged against the Knights during the regular season.
Doeren thanked his players and coaching staff and talked about Brissett’s growth in his first season at NC State after transferring from Florida.
“He takes things so personal. He is such a competitor,” Doeren said. “He gives all the credit to his teammates. He learned a lot throughout the season, and we love him.”
Holman completed 23 of 53 passes for 291 yards for UCF, including TD passes of 6, 14 and 2 yards to Josh Reese, who had six receptions for 75 yards. Reese’s second touchdown cut it to 34-20 with 11 minutes remaining.
The Knights got the ball back three more times, but couldn’t get any closer until Holman threw his 2-yarder to Reese with 1:44 left. NC State’s Tyler Purvis recovered the ensuing onside kick, and the Wolfpack ran out the clock.
“We just let the game get out of a whack a little bit,” UCF coach George O’Leary said. “You can’t do that.”