Oct 5, 2017; Raleigh, NC, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack running back Nyheim Hines (7) returns a kickoff during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Wolfpack won 39-25. Photo Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
RALEIGH, N.C. — Nyheim Hines ran for two touchdowns as No. 24 North Carolina State clung to a lead for most of the final three quarters en route to a 39-25 victory over No. 17 Louisville in an Atlantic Coast Conference game on Thursday night.
The outcome at Carter-Finley Stadium gave the Wolfpack a second victory against a nationally ranked opponent in less than two weeks and reversed a 41-point loss to the Cardinals from a season ago.
Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson tried to rally Louisville, which closed within 32-25 when he ran into the end zone from 3 yards with 4:10 remaining. The extra-point kick was blocked by Bradley Chubb.
The Cardinals (4-2, 1-2 ACC) regained possession with 3:09 left, needing to go 89 yards. However, on the second play, Germaine Pratt returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown.
Jackson completed 26 of 47 passes for 354 yards with a touchdown and the one interception. He rushed for 73 yards and two scores on 19 carries.
NC State quarterback Ryan Finley threw for 367 yards and a touchdown, completing 20 of 31 passes.
Reggie Gallaspy’s 3-yard touchdown run with 10:07 left followed by Hines’ two-point conversion reception helped the Wolfpack to a 32-19 lead.
Hines rushed for 102 yards on 18 carries. Sophomore Kelvin Harmon racked up a career-high 133 receiving yards on six catches for NC State (5-1, 3-0), which defeated then-No. 12 Florida State last month.
With a chance to rebuild a 10-point lead on the opening possession of the second half, NC State kicker Carson Wise missed on a 35-yard field-goal attempt.
At the other end, sophomore Blanton Creque booted a career-long 48-yarder for Louisville, trimming its deficit to 17-13.
The Wolfpack made the most of its next possession, driving 78 yards in nine plays and scoring on Hines’ 7-yard run.
Jackson orchestrated a drive that resulted in his 4-yard scoring run with 12:39 to play. The Cardinals failed on a two-point conversion pass, leaving the score 24-19.
NC State scored 10 points in a 3 1/2-minute span of the second quarter to break a tie and forge a 17-10 halftime lead.
After a scoreless first quarter, the teams started converting in the second.
Finley connected with Harmon on a 48-yard touchdown pass on the first play after Finley’s sneak to convert on fourth-and-1. At the time, it became the second-longest pass play of the season for the Wolfpack.
It’s the third time this season that Louisville’s opponent scored first.
The Cardinals responded with a 75-yard drive, with Jackson throwing a 23-yard strike to Seth Dawkins, who made a bobbling catch as he crossed into the end zone for a touchdown.
NC State was back in business after Jaylen Samuels’ 79-yard catch-and-run. But the Wolfpack settled for Wise’s 21-yard field goal with 5:03 left in the half.
After a punt, the Wolfpack traveled 77 yards on seven plays, with Hines running 11 yards for a touchdown.
Louisville countered with Creque’s 28-yard field goal on the last play of the half.
NC State reached the Louisville 10-yard line on its first possession, but two plays that went nowhere and a third-down fumble thwarted that threat. That was the Wolfpack’s first turnover since the opener.
NOTES: This marked the first time two ranked teams played at Carter-Finley Stadium since 2000, when Florida State defeated NC State. … Until this week, NC State hadn’t been ranked since the final poll of the 2010 season. … The Wolfpack entered the game with a 2-0 ACC record for the first time since 2006. … In the first seven meetings in the series, Louisville won all of them except for the 2011 Belk Bowl … Louisville defeated the Wolfpack last year 54-13. … Louisville coach Bobby Petrino’s career record against North Carolina-based teams fell to 14-1. … Louisville is home on Oct. 14 against Boston College. NC State plays the same day at Pittsburgh.
