Not a whole lot has gone the NC State Wolfpack’s way this season, and that was never more evident than after what the Duke Blue Devils did to them on Saturday afternoon in Raleigh.
The Wolfpack welcomed their in-state rivals to Carter-Finley Stadium amid a rough season that saw them enter the game at 4-4, just weeks removed from a coaching change.
Unfortunately, this one did not go their way, and the biggest bad bounce had to come at the very end of the first half, with NC State trailing 24-3.
SUPER BOWL CHAMPION RUSSELL WILSON REPORTEDLY IN THE MIX FOR NC STATE HEAD-COACHING JOB
Interim head coach Todd Goebbel sent out his kicking team with two seconds on the clock, hoping that kicker Kanoah Vinesett could at least hit a 50-yard field goal to end the half on a semi-high note.
That did not happen. Vinesett didn’t quite give it enough leg to get it the full 50 yards, and that worked out nicely for Duke as safety Andrew Pellicciotta was waiting in the end zone.
He hauled in the kick and took off 109 yards for a touchdown.
VANDERBILT PULLED OFF THE MOST IMPROBABLE LAST-SECOND VICTORY YOU’LL EVER SEE IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
That was so shocking; whoever was manning the CW’s scorebug thought the kick was as good as gold and hung three points on the board.
We don’t see field goals returned for touchdowns nearly enough. It’s easily one of the most exciting plays in football. The CFL got this right by having the goal posts at the front of the endzone (which also seems wildly unsafe, but at least they get more missed field goals returned for touchdowns).
The only folks who didn’t enjoy that, however, were NC State fans.
That play flipped what should’ve been a 24-6 game at the half to one that was 31-3.
And unfortunately, it didn’t get any better as the Blue Devils tacked on another 10 points to win this one, 41-3.