RALEIGH, N.C. — Many expected a shootout Saturday night between N.C. State and Texas Tech, with the Pack’s Devin Leary slinging passes and the Red Raiders’ “Air Raid” attack making things entertaining.
The two defenses didn’t let it happen.
The No. 16 Wolfpack stayed undefeated with a 27-14 win on a night when quarterback Devin Leary was average, when yards were hard to come by and anything gained offensively was well-earned.
The Red Raiders (2-1) edged Houston, then ranked 25th, a week ago in double overtime and was after a second straight win over a ranked nonconference team. But the Wolfpack, a 10-point favorite, made enough key plays to punch out a victory over the Big 12 Conference team at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Running back Demie Sumo-Karngbaye scored twice, the second on a well-thrown 38-yard pass from slot back Thayer Thomas. Sumo-Karngbaye nearly had a third score but had the ball stripped just before the end zone in the third quarter after grabbing a pass from Leary.
But the longest play of the game came from the Wolfpack defense when sophomore cornerback Aydan White picked off a Donovan Smith pass in the first half and cruised 84 yards for a pick-6 score that had Carter-Finley rumbling.
White also had a second interception with a minute left in the game and the Pack three in the game. Texas Tech had four turnovers, fumbling a punt early in the game.
The Red Raiders had a big defensive play of their own in the second half. Leary found Sumo-Karngbaye open down the right side and Sumo-Karnbaye was headed to the end zone, only to have the ball stripped a yard from the goal line and the ball bounce through the end zone — a touchback for Texas Tech.
Texas Tech scored late in the first half as Smith connected with Myles Price for a 24-yard YD pass and then in the fourth quarter on Smith’s 3-yard run.
Leary would finish for 15-for-23 passing for 121 yards. Smith was 21 for 45 for 214 yards as neither quarterback felt comfortable in the pocket.
Sumo-Karngbaye made up for his gaffe in the fourth quarter. After the Red Raiders failed on a fourth-down play at the TTU 38 early in the period — a questionable decision by first-year coach Joey McGuire — the Pack used the slotback pass from Thomas to take a 20-point lead.
Leary threw to Thomas behind the line in the left flat and Thomas found Sumo-Karngbaye open down the right side for the 38-yard score.
Sumo-Karngbaye had a 14-yard touchdown in the second quarter for a 13-0 lead after field goals of 29 and 47 from the Pack’s Christopher Dunn.
Thomas had another TD pass, only to have it wiped out by a penalty against the Pack.
With the Wolfpack leading 3-0 and with first-and-goal from the TTU 3, Sumo-Karngbaye took a direct snap out of the shotgun. Sumo-Karngbaye ran left and pitched to Thomas in motion back to the right, and Thomas hit an open Leary in the right side of the end zone.
But the Pack was penalized for lineman down field and Dunn was needed for his second field goal.
After a strong defensive possession led by linebacker Isaiah Moore, the Pack took advantage of favorable field position at the TTU 43 to score the first touchdown of the game.
Leary completed a third-down pass to Thomas, and the Red Raiders were calling for roughing the passer on the play. On first down from the 14, Sumo-Karngbaye circled left end for the score with 10:13 left in the second period.
