'This one hurts': Second half turnovers, penalties sink Wolfpack 13-10
Posted September 25, 2023 7:06 p.m. EDT
Updated September 29, 2023 11:59 p.m. EDT
 Louisville Cardinals |
13 |
 NC State Wolfpack |
10 |
| Final | |
Raleigh, N.C. — On a night where the NC State Wolfpack added former NC State linebacker and Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher to the Ring of Honor at Carter-Finley Stadium, the Wolfpack defense showed up against the ACC's top offense.
It wasn't enough as the Wolfpack fell to the Louisville Cardinals 13-10 Friday night.
The Wolfpack had a chance to take the lead on its final drive of the game with just under two minutes left, but quarterback Brennan Armstrong threw an interception to Louisville defensive back Quincy Riley. The Cardinals kneeled out the clock to seal the victory and continue their undefeated start at 5-0.
"This one hurts," NC State head coach Dave Doeren said after the game. "I can't really give answers until I watch the film but it's pretty obvious what we need to get better at."
Keys to the game
Mistakes allow Louisville back into the game
Things seemed to be going the Wolfpack's way in the first half. They held the Cardinals under 150 yards of offense in the half and had the offense completely shutdown.
Then the second half started.
Louisville scored 13 unanswered points, including a highlight-real 39-yard touchdown reception from Jack Plummer to Chris Bell.
NC State allowed a number of drives to stay alive due to penalties. In the third quarter, Wolfpack safety Sean Brown was penalized for targeting and benched for the remainder of the game. NC State's secondary was already depleted and the penalty also allowed another the drive to stay alive.
Then late in the fourth quarter on 4th-and-3, NC State was penalized for running into the kicker, a five-yard penalty. The move gave the Cardinals a first down and forced the Wolfpack to burn its remaining timeouts.
In total, NC State was penalized 10 times for 88 yards. For perspective, the Wolfpack had 89 rushing yards for the game.
Armstrong struggles again
Speaking of Armstrong, the transfer from Virginia was pegged to revamp the Wolfpack offense with former Cavaliers offensive coordinator Robert Anae going into the 2023 season.
That revamp was not visible Friday night.
For the second-straight week, Armstrong completed just over 50% of his passes and only had 112 passing yards for the game. In three of his five games as starter, Armstrong has failed to complete 55% of his passes.
Armstrong also did not help with ball security Friday night. He was responsible for all three of the Wolfpack's turnovers.
The first turnover happened on the Wolfpack's first drive of the second half. After getting the Wolfpack deep into Cardinals' territory, Armstrong threw a pass straight to Cam'Ron Kelly in the end zone, ending the drive and giving the Cardinals the ball at the 25-yard-line.
Two drives later, Armstrong took the ball on a run. Armstrong was hit and lost the ball, which rolled into the arms of Ramon Puryear of Louisville.
The final turnover was the interception that sealed the game for the Cardinals. Armstrong has now thrown six interceptions in the last four weeks, including five against teams with winning records.
"He's hard on himself," Doeren said. "Nobody feels worse than Brennan right now."
Defense and special teams step up
It wasn't a total loss for NC State Friday night.
Payton Wilson and the defense played lights out against the Cardinals rushing attack Friday. The Cardinals came into the game averaging 237 rushing yards per game. The Wolfpack only allowed 20 yards on the ground.
The Cardinals boasted the nations fifth-best offense in the country, averaging over 500 yards per game. Wilson and the defense held the Cardinals to 306 yards. NC State also added four sacks in for the game, giving them 15 on the season.
The punt team also came up big thanks to Wilson. Early in the second quarter, the Wolfpack faked a punt and snapped to Wilson who plowed ahead of a first down.
The play kept NC State on the field and help fuel NC State's first points of the game on 4-yard touchdown run by Delbert Mimms.
What's next
The Wolfpack will continue to find answers for its struggling offense against the Marshall Thundering Herd.
The Herd may be what the Wolfpack need to help its wilting running game. The Herd have allowed 145 rushing yards per game, which ranks 82nd in college football.
As for the Cardinals, they will take their offense back to Papa John's Stadium, where they will play the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Pregame
NC State will try to knock off undefeated Louisville during Friday night’s blackout game while the program honors former linebacker Bill Cowher.
NC State (3-1) hosts Louisville (4-0) at 7 p.m. ET Friday at Carter-Finley Stadium. The game airs on ESPN.
“Hopefully, we’ll have a game without rain, and [we] really need the crowd behind us in this one,” Doeren said.
As part of an annual tradition, the players will wear black jerseys and fans attending the game are asked to dress in black.
“The 12th man is real,” Doeren said. “When our crowd is behind us, it’s helpful. It’s a dominant thing.”
Doeren said he’s looking forward to having a “loud” and “rowdy” crowd.
Before Friday's game, NC State will honor Cowher, a former linebacker and Pro Football Hall of Fame coach. NC State will add Cowher to its Ring of Honor.
Cohwer starred at linebacker for the Wolfpack from 1975-78.
“[He’s] been a tremendous mentor to me,” Doeren said of Cowher. “Ever since I’ve been here, he’s just been such an incredible guy to me for no reason other than he loves NC State.”
As an undrafted player, Cowher played five seasons in the NFL as a linebacker and in a special teams role for the Philadelphia Eagles (1979, 1983-1984) and the Cleveland Browns (1980-1982).
As a coach, Cowher compiled a 149-90-1 record as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1992-2006. In the postseason, he had a 12-9 record as a head coach. The Steelers won Super Bowl XL under Cowher.
“Obviously, Coach Cowher has left a tremendous legacy in coaching,” Doeren said.
Meanwhile, Louisville leads the ACC in scoring offense (23 touchdowns) and total offense (542 yards per game).
“I think good [defensive backs] look forward to the opportunity to being on an island,” Doeren said. “That’s the opportunity they want.”
Doeren said he’d mix up the coverages against Louisville.
On Monday, he explained why he switched to a 3-3-5 defensive front (three defensive lineman, three linebackers and five defensive backs) from a 4-2-5 front (four defensive lineman, two linebackers and five defensive backs).
“[There are] different techniques that you can do to take some of the stress off of those guys, so it’s not every down one-on-on football, and that’s what you have to do, in my opinion,” Doeren said.
Doeren said the 3-3-5 allows his defense to help cornerbacks with safety help over the top while still disguising the front to stop the run.
“So far, it’s been great for us, ” Doeren said.
Junior offensive lineman Dylan McMahon and junior defensive back Devan Boykin are not listed on the team’s depth chart, meaning it’s unlikely either will play Friday. Doeren said both players are day to day.
“Devan is actually doing a lot better than expected,” Doeren said. “And so, there’s a long shot, but there’s a chance he’ll play.”
However, Doeren said the only player who is injured for the remainder of the season is safety Jakeen Harris.
“I’d love for this team to get a little bit healthier,” Doeren said.
NC State is coming off of a 24-21 victory against winless Virginia. The Wolfpack escaped by making a field goal as time expired.
On Saturday, Louisville blew out Boston College, 56-28.
