SportsDirect Inc. staff
Aug 30, 2014

North Carolina State 24, Georgia Southern 23: Jacoby Brissett threw three second-half touchdown passes - the last coming with 1:37 remaining - as the host Wolfpack spoiled the Eagles' FBS debut.

Brissett, who sat out all of last season after transferring from Florida, emerged the hero after connecting with Matt Dayes from 35 yards out on a wheel route. Brissett finished 28-of-40 for 291 yards for North Carolina State (1-0), while Shadrach Thornton led the ground attack with 73 yards on 10 carries.

Kevin Ellison threw for 184 yards and a touchdown for Georgia Southern (0-1), which fell just short in its first game as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. Ellison added 116 yards on the ground while Matt Breida had 87 rushing yards and a score in defeat.

Trailing 17-3 at the half, Brissett finally made an impact in a Wolfpack uniform, connecting with Bra’Lon Cherry for a six-yard scoring strike just over seven minutes into the third quarter. After Brissett and Cherry teamed up again on an 11-yard touchdown with 6:55 remaining, Georgia Southern's Alex Hanks nailed a 31-yard field goal - his third of the game - to make it a six-point game and set the stage for Brissett's heroics.

The Eagles struck first just under six minutes into the contest, as Breida burst up the middle and raced untouched 61 yards to the end zone for his first career NCAA touchdown. The teams traded field goals before Georgia Southern extended its lead in the final minute of the half, as Ellison connected with Kentrellis Showers on a 29-yard scoring strike.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Dayes' game-winning touchdown was upheld after a lengthy review. ... Brissett went 14-of-16 for 131 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the Wolfpack's final two drives. ... Georgia Southern stunned Florida in its 2013 season finale, prevailing 26-20 despite not completing a pass. The Eagles went 10-for-17 through the air Saturday.