Saturday, September 8, 2018 12:30 PM (ET)

NC State's air attack downs Georgia State

Field Level Media
Sep 8, 2018

Quarterback Ryan Finley passed for 370 yards and two touchdowns to lead North Carolina State to a 41-7 win over Georgia State in Raleigh, N.C., on Saturday.

Finley completed 31 of 38 passes with one interception. The sixth-year senior recorded 12 straight completions over the second and third quarters.

It was the second consecutive 300-yard game for Finley, who passed for 309 yards and two touchdowns in a season-opening 24-13 win over FCS power James Madison.

Wide receivers Kelvin Harmon (129 yards) and Thayer Thomas (114) each eclipsed 100 yards receiving as the Wolfpack passed for 426.

The Wolfpack (2-0) were playing without receiver Jakobi Meyers (ankle), who pulled in an FBS-best 14 receptions against James Madison.

N.C. State welcomed the return of fellow receiver and senior captain Stephen Louis, who returned from a lingering hamstring injury.

Georgia State (1-1) was coming off a near-upset at home to Kennesaw State, another FCS standout, but the Panthers rallied for a last-minute 24-20 win over their crosstown Atlanta foe.

The visitors held their only lead when running back Destin Coates capped a 75-yard drive on the game's first series with an 8-yard run on an option pitch at 12:37.

Replacing the injured Meyers at receiver and making his first career Wolfpack start, Thomas evened it 7-7 with a one-handed catch from 5 yards out at 9:32.

Christopher Dunn's 25-yard field goal at 3:22 lifted NC State to their first lead.

Reggie Gallaspy II made it 17-7 with a short scoring run after Finley converted a fourth-down pass to C.J. Riley down to the Panthers 3.

Following a missed Panthers field-goal attempt in the half's last minute, the Wolfpack went 63 yards in five plays before Dunn booted a 28-yard field goal for a 20-7 lead to end the half.

Finley found Trent Pennix for a 1-yard score in the third quarter, and Brady Bodine and Matthew McKay ran for scores in the fourth.

Georgia State will travel to Memphis to play the Tigers on Friday while N.C. State will host No. 14 West Virginia.

--Field Level Media

Covers 25 Years Logo Established in 1995,
Covers is the world
leader in sports
betting information.
Covers is verified safe by: Evalon Logo GPWA Logo GDPR Logo GeoTrust Logo Evalon Logo