By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — N.C. State stopped East Carolina on a fourth-and-1 deep in its own end with 37 seconds left to hold on for a 24-17 season-opening win Thursday night.
After trailing 17-0 before halftime, ECU pushed all the way to the Wolfpack’s 9-yard line on a drive for the tie, with Katin Houser throwing a short pass to the left to Desirrio Riles. Almost immediately, N.C. State’s Jamel Johnson closed for the initial hit that drove Riles laterally toward the sideline, with Ronnie Royal III coming in to clean it up out of bounds.
“When it came down to it, in our red zone, we bowed up, stopped them on fourth down and we won the game,” said Wolfpack defensive end Cian Slone, who had seven tackles and three hurries.
CJ Bailey threw for 318 yards and a perfect 48-yard scoring pass up the seam to Wesley Grimes for the Wolfpack (1-0). He also joined Hollywood Smothers in rushing for a touchdown, while Grimes hauled in a career-best 121 yards.
Houser threw for 366 yards for the Pirates (0-1). The highlight was going downfield to Jayvontay Conner, who bounced off a hit and rumbling loose up the sideline for a 79-yard touchdown shortly before halftime.
But miscues compounded, helping the Wolfpack build a 17-0 lead by early in the second quarter on Grimes’ TD.
“There was some obviously Game 1 things, but you don’t want it to happen against a good football team and get your tail beat like we did tonight,” said ECU coach Blake Harrell, who said the Pirates planned to go for 2 and the win if they had scored on the final drive.
This was the latest meeting in a testy instate series. The teams met in last year’s Military Bowl, with ECU winning 26-21 in a game that featured a late brawl. It was a game that coach Dave Doeren said “tarnished our reputation,” both with a run defense surrendering chunk yardage and the tussle that even left one official bleeding.
There were no major sparks this time. Rather, it was N.C. State getting out in front while ECU sputtered out of the gate to dig itself a hole that lasted all night.
“This game wasn’t about ECU,” Doeren said, adding: “This game was about getting our identity back and playing hard-tough-together football.”
The takeaway
ECU: The mistakes included four straight three-and-outs to open the game, one featuring a high snap over Houser for a 23-yard loss. There were also two two third-down penalties to extend the Wolfpack’s third-quarter touchdown drive in a 10-penalty night. That’s plenty to clean up for Harrell’s squad.
N.C. State: The Wolfpack got a solid defensive start under new coordinator D.J. Elliot by smothering ECU’s ground game, allowing 30 yards on 29 carries after the Pirates ran for 326 yards in the bowl meeting. N.C. State also had three fourth-down stops. There were special-teams hiccups, though, with Nick Koniecznski missing two fourth-quarter field goals.
Up next
ECU: The Pirates return home to face instate Championship Subdivision opponent Campbell on Sept. 6.
N.C. State: Virginia visits the Wolfpack on Sept 6 in a nonconference matchup between longtime Atlantic Coast Conference programs.