If the game tonight looked familiar that’s because we’ve seen it a time or three, and I guess there’s no good explanation for expecting otherwise. NC State has made a habit out of creating its own problems this season, and found plenty of ways to do that again in the Military Bowl.
The offense didn’t punt in the first half but scored only seven points—it flubbed a field goal try and got stuffed on a fourth down play deep in ECU territory—while ECU on the other hand managed to finish drives for points and take a 13-7 lead into the break. Nobody punted during the first half, which went quickly.
ECU scored out of the break to take a 20-7 lead, but after a missed Pirates field goal try and a fake punt by NC State, the Pack scored to get back within 20-14, then took the lead on a 33-yard touchdown run by Hollywood Smothers.
This was once again an impressive display of resiliency by the team, but one that, also not for the first time, it could not drive home. Twice State picked off ECU in the fourth quarter, and twice State failed to take the game in its hands. The second batch of particularly conservative play-calling nearly resulted in a disastrous fumble by CJ Bailey, but the officials deemed his forward progress was stopped.
This delayed ECU’s go-ahead score by a brief period of time, as after the Pack punted from midfield, ECU turned a long third down play into an 86-yard game-winning run.
It was an ugly game, in messy weather, and ended in messy circumstances, with a fight breaking out at the tail end that resulted in multiple ejections. An unpleasant way to end the season, but one that NC State, again, earned.