NC State Wolfpack, Jordan Waters, Grayson McCall, Football, Western Carolina, Spectacular Magazine, Lawrence Davis III,
Sports

NC State dominates fourth quarter, defeat WCU at home

Lawrence Davis III @LawDavis13 @SpecMagSports

RALEIGH, N.C – The North Carolina State Wolfpack opens the 2024 college football season with a dominant win 38-21 over the Western Carolina Catamounts on Thursday night in Carter-Finley Stadium.

NC State (1-0) dominated the fourth quarter 17-0 to take over the game late.

New Wolfpack quarterback Grayson McCall threw an interception to the left side of the field and returned it to the six-yard line. Catamounts quarterback Cole Gonzalez hooked up with Jake Young on a scramble drill to lead 7-0.

The Wolfpack would respond on their next drive when Kevin Concepcion got the Wolfpack on the board after a 10-yard touchdown catch from Grayson McCall to tie the game at 7-7.

Gonzales hit AJ Colombo in the flats for a short throw that Colombo took advantage of to find the end zone and give the Catamounts a 14-7 advantage at the 2:39 mark of the first quarter after the PAT.

McCall found Kevin Concepcion for a five-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14-14 with 12:03 remaining in the half.

At halftime, both teams went into the half tied 14-14.

NC State took the lead coming out of halftime with a 46-yard field goal by Kandah Vinesett to make the score 17-14 lead with 8:00 left in the third quarter.

The Catamounts would not give up, as WCU running back Branson Adams broke a tackle and ran it 17 yards down the middle to give the Catamounts the 21-17 lead with 4:36 remaining in the third quarter.

KC Concepcion scored his third TD of the night on a 35-yard screen pass from McCall that led to the endzone. The Wolfpack would hit the PAT to go up 24-21 with 14:45 in the fourth.

Jordan Waters 7 yard run for a touchdown to extend the Wolfpack lead 31-21 at the 6:32 mark.

After WCU drove down the field, the Wolfpack got a clutch fourth-down stop at the 4:18 mark. WCU kicker missed a field goal attempt to give NC State the ball back.

Jordan Waters sealed the deal with a 50-yard gash against a worn-down WCU defense to make the score 38-21. 

WCU (0-1) was led offensively by quarterback Cole Gonzales, who finished with 211 yards on 22-of-35 passing attempts with two touchdowns. Gonzales also rushed for 75 yards. WR AJ Colombo finished with nine catches for 97 yards and a touchdown.

Grayson McCall finished his first game under center at NC State with 318 yards passing on 26-of-40 attempts, adding three touchdowns and one interception. Running back Jordan Waters finished the game with 20 carries, 123 yards, and two touchdown. KC Concepcion finished with 121 yards receiving and three touchdowns.

NC State will look to keep things rolling as they will head to Charlotte next Saturday to face Tennessee in the Duke’s Mayo College Football Kickoff game.