Leary, Knight lead Wolfpack past Virginia, 38-21
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Devin Leary threw two touchdown passes and Zonovan Knight ran for 101 yards and two scores, leading North Carolina State to a 38-21 victory over Virginia on Saturday.
Leary hit Trent Pennix with a 5-yard scoring pass and Cary Angeline with a 32-yarder as the Wolfpack (3-1, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) built a 24-0 lead in the first half. Knight scored on runs of 35 and 2 yards, the latter score cementing the victory with 1:49 to play.
The meeting was just the second between the teams since 2012 and the Cavaliers (1-2, 1-2) proved generous hosts. They threw three interceptions, lost a fumble and had a punt blocked. Alim McNeill returned one of the interceptions 18 yards for a touchdown.
Virginia also lost quarterback Brennan Armstrong to an injury late in the first half and turned to seldom-used senior Lindell Stone, who finished 30 of 53 for 240 yards.
Leary was 11 for 25 for 184 yards and one interception.
Stone threw three touchdown passes in relief of Armstrong, but also threw the pass that McNeill got a hand on, tipping it to himself and taking it to the end zone to put N.C. State ahead 31-14 with 11:10 remaining.
THE TAKEAWAY
N.C. State: The Wolfpack’s dominant first half could have been even more impressive but what appeared to be a spectacular one-handed touchdown catch by Porter Rooks was overturned and Christopher Dunn hit the crossbar with a 51-yard field-goal attempt.
Virginia: Armstrong left the game late in the first half after getting up slowly following a 3-yard run. The Cavaliers also had an apparent touchdown taken away when the officials ruled Wayne Taulapapa had come up a yard short after initially signaling that he’d scored. Virginia tried two runs by Armstrong from the 1-yard line and got stuffed both times.
UP NEXT
The Wolfpack is at home against Duke next Saturday.
The Cavaliers travel to Wake Forest next Saturday.
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