The Sports Xchange
Sep 10, 2016
Running back Anthony Scott scored on a 5-yard touchdown run with 5:49 remaining and running back/receiver James Summers ran for two touchdowns as East Carolina defeated visiting North Carolina State 33-30 on Saturday afternoon at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville, N.C.
East Carolina (2-0) has won its last six meetings with teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference. This was the first meeting between these teams since 2013.
Quarterback Ryan Finley's 15-yard keeper with 13:04 left put the Wolfpack ahead before East Carolina's winning 14-play drive that chewed up more than seven minutes.
After an exchange of punts, N.C. State's last chance began at its 38-yard line with 51 seconds to play and without a timeout. The Wolfpack (1-1) reached the East Carolina 24 on the last play as time expired.
Summers' 15-yard run had paved the way for the Pirates to lead 26-23 in the third quarter. Earlier, he scored on a 27-yard run.
Scott caught Philip Nelson's lone touchdown pass, going for 25 yards in the second quarter in what became a back-and-forth game.
Finley, playing in his first road game with the Wolfpack, completed 20 of 31 passes for 254 yards and a touchdown throw of 80 yards to receiver Stephen Louis. That scoring play sent the Wolfpack to a 20-19 halftime lead.
Nelson completed 33 of 43 passes for 297 yards. He was intercepted once.
East Carolina led 12-0 early in the second quarter as N.C. State missed a pair of field-goal attempts.
But running back Reggie Gallaspy's 37-yard run and fullback Jaylen Samuels' 5-yard run helped push the Wolfpack into the lead.
N.C. State running back Matt Dayes finished with 103 rushing yards on 14 carries.