NC State Wolfpack vs Syracuse Orange Box Score on Nov 12, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Nov 12, 2016

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Matt Dayes rushed for 108 yards and three touchdowns and Ryan Finley threw for a season-high 340 yards and one score Saturday afternoon as North Carolina State snapped a four-game losing streak with a 35-20 win over Syracuse in an Atlantic Coast Conference game before 34,842 fans at the Carrier Dome.

Dayes, who scored on runs of 7, 20 and 13 yards, is among the national leaders with 939 rushing yards and is now 61 yards from becoming the Wolfpack's first 1,000-yard runner since T.A. McClendon in 2002. Finley completed 20 of 29 pass attempts with no interceptions and was particularly effective on third down as N.C. State (5-5, 2-4 ACC) converted 10-of-18 third-down attempts.

The Orange (4-6, 2-4) played without standout quarterback Eric Dungey, who left last week's 54-0 loss to Clemson late in the first quarter after absorbing a big hit to the shoulder and head area. Junior Zack Mahoney replaced Dungey and completed 13 of 24 pass attempts for 190 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

The teams traded long touchdown passes at the start of the second half.

N.C. State wide receiver Kelvin Harmon turned Finley's slant pass into a 68-yard touchdown play when he squeezed between two colliding Syracuse defenders. Two plays later, Mahoney connected with wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo on an 81-yard bomb that sliced N.C. State's lead to 21-17.

The Orange pulled even closer on kicker Cole Murphy's 39-yard field goal that was set up by Sean Riley's block of A.J. Cole's punt. But N.C. State responded with a 14-play, 86-yard drive that culminated in Dayes' second touchdown, a 20-yard sweep behind the right side of the Wolfpack line. Finley converted four third-down plays on that drive with passes of 9, 11, 11 and 18 yards.

Dayes' third touchdown, a 13-yarder with 4:50 remaining, boosted the Wolfpack's lead to 35-20.

Syracuse led 7-0 after a 12-play, 61-yard drive on its first possession that ended in running back Dontae Strickland's 10-yard run up the middle on a direct snap. N.C. State cornerback Jack Tocho's acrobatic interception along the sideline set up the tying touchdown as the Wolfpack then drove 82 yards in 13 plays with Dayes scoring on a 7-yard scamper on the first play of the second quarter.

The Orange regained the lead on a 48-yard field goal by Murphy, who had missed seven of his previous nine field-goal attempts. N.C. State answered on its next possession with a seven-play, 73-yard drive capped by fullback Jaylen Samuels' 3-yard touchdown run that gave the Wolfpack a 14-10 lead.

N.C. State had an opportunity to build on its advantage late in the first half, but Orange safety Rodney Williams intercepted backup quarterback Jalan McClendon in the end zone in the final minute of the half.