Chapel Hill, N.C. — North Carolina finally got a win over NC State with a Finley at quarterback.
The 14th-ranked Tar Heels got 160 yards and three touchdowns from running back Javonte Williams to beat No. 23 NC State 48-21 at home on Saturday afternoon.
In the first game between the two rivals as ranked opponents since 1993, UNC (4-1, 4-1 ACC) used a patient running game, with 100-yard efforts from both Williams and Michael Carter (106 yards, one touchdown), and four turnovers to beat the Wolfpack (4-2, 4-2) for the second straight year.
“We did the things that you need to do to win ball games,” UNC coach Mack Brown said, noting the success on the ground and the turnovers.
NC State, playing without injured quarterback Devin Leary, went to the bench in the second quarter for freshman quarterback Ben Finley, whose older brother Ryan went 3-0 against UNC and once called Kenan Stadium “Carter-Finley North.”
It wasn’t that on Saturday with a mostly empty stadium due to COVID-19 restrictions. It was a relatively tame confrontation by this series’ standards. No fights, between players or coaches, and very little animosity.
UNC was methodical with 326 rushing yards and 578 yards of total offense. NC State couldn’t do much to stop the Tar Heels on offense or damage their defense.
“When you turn the ball over and can’t stop the run, it’s a hard day,” NC State coach Dave Doeren said.
Finley threw for 143 yards, and added a spark to a languishing Wolfpack offense in the first half, but had some tough turnover luck with a pair of interceptions and a fumble.
Finley’s first drive looked like it would end with a touchdown in the second quarter. Tight end Dylan Parham got behind the UNC defense but bobbled the pass twice. The second bounce was picked out of the air by a diving UNC defender.
A week after a slow start cost UNC at Florida State in its first loss of the season, the Tar Heels jumped out to an early 14-0 lead. Quarterback Sam Howell threw for 252 yards with two total touchdowns for the Tar Heels. The sophomore quarterback picked his spots in the air but the Heels were dominant on the ground.
UNC scored on its opening driving. Carter capped the 10-play, 75-yard drive with a 16-yard TD run for a 7-0 lead. Howell made it 14-0 with a 10-yard run on an option keep at 11:59 in the second quarter.
With Leary sidelined with a broken leg, NC State struggled on its first three drives. Quarterback Bailey Hockman couldn’t quite find his footing. Doeren went to a “wildcat” look with running back Ricky Person taking the snaps. That was a strategy Doeren used to beat the Tar Heels in 2016.
That didn’t work, either, so Doeren went to Finley, who had not played in the first five games. NC State had 29 yards of offense on its first three drives. Finley, a true freshman playing for the first time in his career, sparked the offense.
Finley completed his first three passes for 50 yards, including a 24-yard connection with receiver Emeka Emezie.
But Finley’s first-and-goal pass attempt to Parham turned out to be a bad bounce for State and a good one for UNC. Instead of cutting UNC’s lead to 14-7, the Wolfpack came up empty after Parham’s double bobble.
UNC kicker Grayson Atkins would miss a 22-yard field goal on the ensuing drive but make a 40-yarder before the end of the half for a 17-7 UNC advantage.
UNC scored on its first three possessions of the second half. The Heels used an interception by linebacker Chazz Surratt and a fumble by Finley, after a sack by Surratt, to jump out to a 38-7 advantage.
“They’re tough,” Brown said of his two running backs. “They’re smart. They protect the ball and the run with power and they run with patience. When we get them going, the rest of it works.”
Hockman came back in, after Finley’s fumble, and directed a touchdown drive. His 1-yard TD run make 38-14. UNC came back with a 27-yard TD from Williams on the next drive.
Doeren said the plan was to play Finley for a series in the first half and for Hockman to start and finish the game.
“Ben went in and sparked us in the first half,” Doeren said. “Then his inexperience showed up.”
