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Texas A&M Aggies Rout NC State Wolfpack 52-13 in 2018 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

Landon Bost

JACKSONVILLE, FL – Chants of “S-E-C” rang loud at TIAA Bank field late in the fourth quarter of the 2018 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. That’s because the Texas A&M Aggies (9-4) were up big on the NC State Wolfpack (9-4) and would end up defeating the Wolfpack 52-13. 

However, a blowout didn’t seem like the outcome early on. 

The Wolfpack were up 13-7 after a 49-yard field goal conversion by place kicker Christopher Dunn with 10:45 left in the second quarter. At halftime the Aggies were only up 21-13. 

Moreover, the Wolfpack received the ball out of halftime and were driving down the field seamlessly, however, a 78-yard interception return by Aggies linebacker Tyrel Dodson decided the fate of the game. 

Impact Players 

Aggies Running Back, Trayveon Williams: He finished the game with 236 yards rushing for 3 touchdowns rushing and rewrote the record books. He’s the current record holder for most yards rushing in a TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Game and tied the record for most touchdowns rushing. 

Aggies Quarterback, Kellen Mond: Even though Mond went 14-26-1 passing for 140 yards passing and 1 touchdown passing. Mond also had 85 yards rushing and 1 touchdown rushing. He made big plays in the first half when the Aggies were trailing to keep them within reach of the Wolfpack. 

Aggies Linebacker, Tyrel Dodson: By far, Dodson made the biggest play of the game with the interception return. He finished the game with a total of 9 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, to go along with the interception return. Trayveon Williams TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Texas A&M

Running back Trayveon Williams (5) explodes past NC State defenders for his third touchdown of the day (Lawrence Davis)

Game Review 

  • The Wolfpack came out sluggish to start the game. Their first offensive and defensive drive took a total five of plays. A 62-yard touchdown run by Mond and a 3-and-out on offense. 
  • The 78-yard interception return by Johnson took the life out of the Wolfpack.
  • Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher and offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey were trying to help Williams break the Aggies single-season rushing record. Williams carried the ball every play on a 5-play, 82-yard scoring drive. After the drive, he was only 26 yards rushing away from breaking the record. 
  • The Aggies first pass attempt in the second half occurred with 11:56 left in the fourth quarter.
  • Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren subbed out quarterback Ryan Finley early in the fourth quarter. He finished the day 19-32-2 passing for 139 yards passing and 1 passing touchdown.
  • The Wolfpack relied too much on the passing game. Running Backs Reggie Gallaspy, Jr. and Ricky Person, Jr. averaged 5.6 yards and 4.7 yards per carry respectively. 
  • The Wolfpack led the ACC on third-down conversions. Today they went 0-13 on third-down conversions. 

Quick Hits 

  • Williams broke the Aggies single-season rushing record off a 93-yard touchdown rushing with 13:56 left for the game. He also broke the Aggies single-season record for most all-purpose yards. 
  • Dunn’s 49-yard field goal conversion set his career-high. 
  • The Wolfpack only had 22 yards rushing in the second quarter and finished the half with 65 yards rushing while the Aggies had 147 yards rushing at halftime.
  • Aggies Linebacker Cullen Gillaspia had a 13-yard touchdown rushing with 3:30 left in the game. 

Firsthand Perspective 

“…They jumped out on us,” Doeren said. “Our guys rallied us back into the game. Chris Dunn made a couple of kicks. CJ made a nice touchdown catch and the defense had a stop and we just weren’t able to make that a score on that drive. Like I said, we went into halftime 21-13, coming out with the ball, felt good about it, and then we had a pick six, I think, in that drive, and things just kind of got away from us at that point in time and we didn’t stop them defensively in the run game and offensively we couldn’t get anything going. You’ve got to give them credit in the second.”

“It was a special moment,” Williams said when asked about breaking the record. “I just want to thank those guys up front. Want to thank Coach Fisher and the whole coaching staff, just everybody and the 12th Man, this whole program that really came together and made a big-time moment. That was a big moment, but most important that we got that bowl win.” 

“Yeah, well, I studied a lot of film and I saw they ran trips, and it was 3rd and 5 and they liked to run little slant routes to the sticks and stop, kind of a spacing route,” Dodson said when asked about the interception return. “So Coach Elko said if I see it, go get it, and I went to go get it and ended up with a touchdown.” 

“The crazy thing is he told us he was going to do it and he did it,” Williams said.