Christopher Dunn kicked two field goals in overtime Friday and North Carolina State came out with a 30-27 victory when North Carolina’s Noah Burnette’s 35-yard attempt was wide left to end the second overtime in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Host North Carolina — which still advances to the ACC Championship Game — forced overtime as time expired in regulation when Drake Maye found Antoine Green with a 4-yard touchdown pass and Burnette converted the extra-point kick.
A snap before the tying play, Maye scrambled and threw 4 yards to tight end John Copenhaver on third down, but video review overturned the call of touchdown and 2 seconds were put back on the clock.
The Tar Heels gained their first lead of the game on Burnette’s 26-yard field goal in the first overtime. Dunn then extended the game with a 32-yarder of his own. In the second OT, Dunn was true with his third field goal of the game (he missed on in the third quarter), and Burnette missed his second in four attempts on the day.
The Wolfpack (8-4, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) snapped a two-game skid and won an ACC road game for the first time this year. The Tar Heels (9-3, 6-2) have lost two straight but meet Clemson next week in the ACC Championship Game.
NC State quarterback Ben Finley finished 27-for-40 for 271 yards with two touchdowns — including a 26-yard scoring pass to Devin Carter with 3:54 to play that gave the Wolfpack a 24-17 lead. Finley, the younger brother of former Wolfpack quarterback Ryan Finley, became NC State’s fourth starting quarterback across the last seven games.
Maye, who became North Carolina’s single-season record-holder for passing yards with more than 3,750 yards, was 29-for-49 for 233 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
It was Tanner Ingle’s interception of Maye’s tipped pass that gave the Wolfpack possession at the North Carolina 29 with 4:46 to play leading to NC State’s go-ahead score.
Still, Maye drove the Tar Heels 75 yards in 15 plays to tie the score as the clock expired, setting up the overtime field-goal drama.
NC State had its way for much of the game after previous starting quarterback Jack Chambers scored from 2 yards out just 1:40 into the game.
North Carolina got on the board on Burnette’s 37-yard field goal later in the opening quarter.
Finley connected with diving freshman receiver Terrell Timmons for a 28-yard touchdown play to complete a 55-yard drive. It was the first touchdown in Timmons’ career and gave NC State a 14-3 lead.
North Carolina, which punted four times in the first 20 minutes, put together a touchdown drive by moving 59 yards on eight plays. Elijah Green ran 8 yards for the touchdown.
NC State had a chance to pad a 14-10 lead before a Chambers’ fumble at the North Carolina 16 with 2:10 left in the half thwarted that opportunity. But after a North Carolina punt, the Wolfpack made good use of 38 seconds and scored for a 17-10 edge on Dunn’s 29-yard field goal on the last play of the half.
Dunn became the ACC’s all-time scoring leader in the first half.
North Carolina was without injured starting cornerback Tony Grimes and then lost starting safety Cam’Ron Kelly to a second-quarter injury.
–Field Level Media
