RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Freshman Ricky Person Jr. scored three touchdowns while Jakobi Meyers had a big receiving day to help North Carolina State beat Florida State 47-28 on Saturday.
Meyers had nine catches for 125 yards and a score for the Wolfpack (6-2, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who snapped a two-game skid to become bowl eligible for the fifth straight year. N.C. State scored the first 17 points and never let FSU closer than 10 again in a one-sided show.
It helped that the Wolfpack ran the ball well, with Person scoring twice on the ground in his return from injury while Reggie Gallaspy II ran for a career-best 106 yards.
FSU’s James Blackman threw for a career-high 421 yards and four scores in starting for Deondre Francois, with two going to Tamorrion Terry. But it didn’t stop the Seminoles (4-5, 2-5) from ending up with a second straight lopsided loss.
NC State postgame report:https://t.co/4qK4CDJ3yO
— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) November 3, 2018
THE TAKEAWAY
FSU: There wasn’t a huge response after last week’s 59-10 home loss to No. 2 Clemson, a performance that had first-year coach Willie Taggart openly questioning his team’s effort and whether some players quit. The Seminoles had plenty of mistakes in this one, most notably with 15 penalties for 116 yards to continue their trend of being among the nation’s most penalized teams. And that has put those long streaks of winning seasons and bowl appearances in serious jeopardy. FSU hasn’t had a losing season since 1976 and has been in a bowl game for 36 straight seasons, with the last bowl-less season coming in 1981.
N.C. State: Unlike FSU, N.C. State offered a strong bounceback from its own lopsided loss to Clemson and last weekend’s loss at No. 22 Syracuse. The Wolfpack avoided turnovers, allowed no sacks, committed just two penalties through the first three quarters and answered any push by the Seminoles. Person, who sat out against the Orange, capped his day with a short TD catch from Ryan Finley to make it 44-21 with 11:10 left.
UP NEXT
FSU: Things only get tougher for the Seminoles, who visit No. 3 Notre Dame next Saturday.
N.C. State: There’s a short week ahead for the Wolfpack with instate opponent Wake Forest visiting Thursday.
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