Armstrong, Narveson and penalties help N.C. State survive at Virginia, 24-21

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Brennan Armstrong mentioned “it was fairly surreal, fairly bizarre” taking part in as a customer at Scott Stadium, the place he’d emerged from the Virginia locker room for 5 seasons.

It wasn’t as bizarre because the ending in his lone go to as an opponent.

Armstrong hit KC Concepcion with a pair of landing passes and Brayden Narveson kicked a second-chance 33-yard subject purpose as time expired and North Carolina State beat Virginia 24-21 Friday evening.

The Cavaliers made a dramatic comeback to tie it with 36 seconds left, however penalties — two they survived and one they did not — had been their undoing.

“Penalties received us the sport,” Armstrong mentioned.

Narveson’s first try from 48 yards was blocked by James Jackson, however he was known as for a private foul, transferring the ball 15 yards nearer. His second strive was true.

The drive was mandatory after freshman Anthony Colandrea led Virginia on an 11-play, 66-yard drive and hit Malik Washington from 3 yards out to make it 21-19. The Cavaliers, nevertheless, had been known as for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play, and on their 2-point try from the 18, Colandrea hit Malachi Fields to tie it up.

One other 15-yard unsportsmanlike name — this one on the freshman quarterback — pressured Virginia to again up 15 yards on the kickoff, and a pleasant return by Julian Grey set the Wolfpack up on the Virginia 48. Three runs by Armstrong moved the ball to the 30.

One penalty was for retaliation, Virginia coach Tony Elliott mentioned, the officers advised him, and one other was for a participant taking his helmet off earlier than leaving the sector of play. The third was known as as a result of Jackson bumped into the snapper.

“We’re within the remaining moments of the sport and that is the place you must be at your sharpest,” Elliott mentioned, refusing responsible the officers. “We simply did not have the self-discipline down the stretch to win the soccer recreation.”

Armstrong, who transferred after final season, was booed when he trotted onto the sector for the opening sequence, however displayed lots of the attributes that made him one of many nation’s prime quarterbacks two years in the past. He struggled in a brand new system final season, and reunited this 12 months with former offensive coordinator Robert Anae.

He completed 15 for 30 for 180 yards, the TDs and an interception, and led them with 64 speeding yards, typically making an attempt to punish would-be tacklers and former teammates. The Wolfpack (3-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) received their third straight within the sequence.

Colandrea began his third straight for the Cavaliers (0-4, 0-1) at quarterback rather than injured starter Tony Muskett. He confirmed flashes of potential, together with an 11-yard run and completions of 19, 10 and 12 yards on the tying drive, but in addition inexperience, throwing a deep ball on the run into quadruple protection with Virginia trailing 21-13. The go was tipped and intercepted, the primary of his two picks.

Virginia squandered two good scoring probabilities, together with a 1st-and-goal from the 4 after Colandrea’s 59-yard reference to Washington. Three performs netted only a yard and Will Bettridge kicked a 21-yard FG. He kicked one other from 36 yards after the Cavaliers could not convert on Third-and-1 from the 19.

Dexter Mimms III’s 1-yard run 28 seconds earlier than halftime gave N.C. State a 14-7 lead.

The Wolfpack stopped Virginia’s 4th-and-1 strive from their very own 49 and took benefit, needing seven performs that ended with Armstrong’s 12-yard go to Concepcion to go forward 7-0 on the opening play of the second quarter. The pair later teamed on a 48-yard scoring play to make it 21-13 within the third quarter.

The Cavaliers drew even at 7-all on their subsequent possession, driving 75 yards in 9 performs. Colandrea completed it with some nifty footwork to flee stress, then discovered Washington behind the top zone on Third-and-goal from the 8.

THE TAKEAWAY

N.C. State: Armstrong mentioned this week it has taken the Wolfpack a while to regulate to the brand new offense, however he seemed like he had so many time in Virginia colours. He related with Concepcion for 30 yards on a Third-and-14 play, then ran 13 yards to the Virginia 1 later within the drive to assist arrange their go-ahead-for-good landing.

Virginia: The Cavaliers reached 100 speeding yards for the primary time in 4 video games, ending with 113 yards on 41 makes an attempt. Colandrea and Washington did their greatest to fill the void, combining 10 instances for 170 yards. Washington additionally grew to become simply the third Cavaliers receiver with three consecutive 100-yard video games.

UP NEXT

The Wolfpack is at house subsequent Friday evening towards Louisville.

Virginia performs at Boston School subsequent Saturday.