NC State’s run game was on full display against USF, and so was the Wolfpack defense
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College Football Week 1
Scores, highlights analysis from around NC and SC this week
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N.C. State had high expectations coming into the 2021 season.
In the opener versus South Florida, the Wolfpack looked like they might be as good as outsiders say they are.
The Wolfpack used a strong rushing attack and the defense lived up to the hype as N.C. State rolled to a 45-0 win over the Bulls at Carter-Finley Stadium.
The running back tandem of Zonovan Knight and Ricky Person, Jr. combined for 268 yards. It was the first time since the 2015 season the team had two players rush for more than 100 yards. Person led the way in the first half, scoring three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) while Knight carried the load after halftime. The junior finished with a career-high 163 yards.
The fans who actually stayed around for the second half saw N.C. State scored on their first two drives of the second half, after jumping out to a 24-0 halftime lead. Person was responsible for each touchdown in the first half. On the opening drive of the game for N.C. State (1-0) he caught a 3-yard touchdown from Devin Leary.
After a Christopher Dunn 34-yard field goal, Person scored on a pair of 11-yard touchdowns, securing his first three-score day of his career. Person, who started all 12 games a year ago, came off the bench this year, but looked every bit a starter still, breaking for a 32-yard run in the first half, the second longest run of his career.
Knight was no slack himself, clinching his fifth 100-yard game of his career. While Leary (17-26-232-2 TDs) missed on some throws in his ninth career start, he did throw two scores, including a 7-yard strike to tight end Christopher Toudle in the third quarter to make it 38-0 after the Dunn PAT.
Reserve running back Jordan Houston punched it in from 1-yard out with 8:14 remaining to make it 45-0.
The N.C. State defense played like its hair was on fire all evening. They held the Bulls to under 100 yards (71) in the first half and picked off both South Florida quarterbacks for a total of three interceptions. The defense pitched its first shutout since 2019 (41-0 over Western Carolina) and the first shutout in a season opening shutout since 2004 (42-0 over Richmond).
South Florida got down to the Wolfpack four, but turned the ball over on downs to secure the N.C. State goose egg.
First down
The N.C. State defense, with 10 starters returning, gave up 16 yards on South Florida’s first play of the game, but only gave up five more yards (on 12 plays) the rest of the first quarter. The Wolfpack defense held the Bulls to 71 yards in the first half. Forty-four of those yards came on one play.
Offsides
There wasn’t much to complain about, but Devin Leary did miss a wide open Thayer Thomas early in the second quarter. Thomas had Matthew Hill beat, but Leary underthrew the pass and it was picked off by Hill.
Touchdown
N.C. State linebacker Drake Thomas picked off USF quarterback Timmy McClain late in the second half. The interception, the second career pick for Thomas, ended the best scoring threat by the Bulls in the first half. The diving interception, picked off at the seven, secured the first half shutout for the Wolfpack.
ICYMI
The Cade Fortin revenge game didn’t last long. Fortin, South Florida’s starting quarterback, and a UNC transfer, came up short in his previous start, an overtime loss to N.C. State in 2018.
Fortin, freshman at the time, passed for 276 on that rainy day in Chapel Hill. This wasn’t the same defense he had success against three years ago.
Fortin was 3-9 with 0 yards before being pulled in the second quarter. Fortin returned in the third quarter, with the Bulls down by 38.
Key numbers
8-1: Dave Doeren’s record in season-openers during his tenure at N.C. State. The Pack is also 4-3 on Thursday night under Doeren.
7:3 Number of yards per carry for N.C. State.
3 Number of forced turnovers by the Wolfpack. In addition to the interception by Thomas, safeties Cyrus Fagan and Tanner Ingle each had one in the second half.
This story was originally published September 2, 2021 at 10:44 PM with the headline "NC State’s run game was on full display against USF, and so was the Wolfpack defense."
