What they’re saying after NC State’s senior day loss to Duke

NC State wanted to send its seniors on their way with a win in what was the final home game at Carter-Finley Stadium of their careers. Instead, the Wolfpack offense struggled, and Duke was able to hand NC State its fifth loss of the season in a 29-19 result on Saturday afternoon in Raleigh. 

Here is what those who covered the game are saying about the Pack’s loss to the nearby rival Blue Devils. 

Ethan McDowell, The Wolfpacker — Column: NC State stumbles in another statement game setback

A “statement game” for NC State has been a moving target this year. When the Wolfpack faced Tennessee in Charlotte, that was an opportunity to assert itself as a College Football Playoff hopeful. The matchup with Clemson gave NC State a chance to affirm itself as an ACC contender.

In both of those critical matchups, NC State fell well short. The Pack lost by 65 combined points in its early season setbacks against the Volunteers and Tigers. NC State spent the next couple of months rehabilitating its season, putting together its first winning streak of the season with victories over Cal and Stanford as it moved back over .500. 

Saturday’s game against Duke did not carry the same stakes as the early season showdowns with ranked teams, but the Wolfpack’s post-bye week pivot was on the line on senior day. NC State brought an extremely talented group of recruits to the game as well — its most star-studded group since the Tennessee game. 

And once again, the Pack failed to deliver a performance up to the standard this team holds for itself. For the second time in three years, NC State lost on senior day with Duke prevailing 29-19. 

Noah Fleischman, The Wolfpacker — ‘We just gotta finish’: NC State struggles to capitalize in the red zone in loss to Duke

NC State believed it had moved past the red zone issues that plagued the Wolfpack earlier in the season, including its 24-17 loss to Syracuse that featured three turnovers in the area. The Pack had become more efficient in its past two games, wins over Cal and Stanford, going 10-for-11 in its scoring opportunities. 

But when the Wolfpack welcomed Duke to Carter-Finley Stadium for senior day, NC State’s offense found itself stuck in the mud once it entered the red zone yet again. The Pack was 5-for-6 in scoring inside the 20-yard line, but it had to settle for four field goals in the process and fell 29-19 to the Blue Devils on Saturday afternoon. 

That appeared to frustrate NC State coach Dave Doeren postgame.

“I thought we had corrected that coming out of the last bye,” Doeren said. “We were much better, but today, we were really bad down there. … We got points, but you need touchdowns to win a game like that.”

Jadyn Watson-Fisher, News & Observer — ‘Gotta dig deeper’: NC State football’s offense unable to finish drives in Duke loss

With 19 seconds left in the game, officials called captain and fifth-year senior Davin Vann for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Emotions ran high as the defensive end’s career in Raleigh came to an end. 

All the Wolfpack wanted was to win and give its 20 seniors, like Vann, a chance to walk back up the tunnel one last time with smiles on their faces. The defense and special teams did what they needed to get the job done, but the offense couldn’t complete the mission — the disappointment obvious by the body language as players walked off Wayne Day Family field one last time. 

“That game was really important for those guys going out, and all week that’s all we had in mind,” freshman quarterback CJ Bailey said. “This really hurts. Like Coach (Dave) Doeren said, we’ve gotta dig a little deeper in our souls .That really meant something to those guys. This was their last game at Carter-Finley, and they end it off with a loss. It’s not good.”

The most painful part was that N.C. State had opportunities in the 29-19 loss. It wasn’t like Duke (7-3, 3-3 ACC) completely overpowered the Wolfpack (5-5, 2-4 ACC).

Steve Wiseman, News & Observer — Duke’s defense romped, but QB Maalik Murphy’s strong day was key to beating NC State

While Duke hasn’t needed Maalik Murphy to win a game with his passing this season, Saturday’s victory over NC. State was an example of a game the Blue Devils probably don’t win without their quarterback having a strong day. 

The defense ruled on both sides when Duke and N.C. State played at Carter-Finley Stadium. The teams combined for 115 rushing yards on 56 attempts (2.1 yards per carry) while finding success on 3 of 24 third downs. 

Murphy, though, proved to be the better quarterback in his most efficient game of the season, and that’s why Duke left Raleigh with a 29-19 win. 

Having completed 58.9% of his throws this season, Murphy picked apart N.C. State’s defense to complete 22 of 31 throws (71%). He passed for 245 yards, exceeding his season average of 235.1 yards per game. Plus, on a day when mistakes were magnified, he did not turn the ball over. 

He even scored a rushing touchdown, the first of his career, to put the Blue Devils ahead for good in the third quarter.

Aidan Carlson, Technician — NC State football’s offensive ineptitude sinks senior day in 29-19 loss to Duke

Penalties, mistakes and turnovers were the name of the game against Duke. It wasn’t about which team outperformed the other, it was about which team was able to shoot themselves in the foot the least.

Coming off one of its best performances of this roller coaster season against Stanford, NC State football (5-5, 2-4 ACC) regressed in every single way on the offensive side of the ball against Duke (7-3, 3-3 ACC). Two fumbles and an interception by freshman quarterback CJ Bailey, a safety to start the game, multiple dropped passes, less than three yards per carry on the ground and a missed field goal all caused NC State to take steps back instead of forward.

“We played good enough in that game for us to win, and we just didn’t connect offensively enough,” said head coach Dave Doeren. “Collectively, it’s not good enough. It’s a we — us and our business — and there isn’t any blame other than everybody and it starts with me.”

For the first time in his career, Bailey completed less than 50% of his passes and for the first time since Northern Illinois, he threw for less than 200 yards.

Aaron Beard, Associated Press — Murphy, Pelino, defense help Duke push past NC State 29-19 in in-state ACC matchup

Maalik Murphy threw two touchdown passes and scored the go-ahead TD on a short keeper to help Duke grind past NC State 29-19 on Saturday night.

The Blue Devils (7-3, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) allowed just one touchdown and forced a pair of takeaways, while Todd Pelino had two long field goals in spoiling the Wolfpack’s home finale.

“It was a complete performance in all three phases, which it needed to be to win in an environment like this,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said.

Jordan Moore had a leaping 45-yard touchdown grab late in the first quarter to give Duke a 12-0 lead, while Sahmir Hagans had a 9-yard scoring catch early in the fourth to put Duke up 26-12. There was also Murphy using his 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame to push through a goal-line collision for a 3-yard score — his first career rushing TD — to make it 19-12 with 4:37 left in the third.