The College Football Blog: 2012 ACC Game of the Year

ACC Game of the Year

Week 6: NC State vs. Florida State (17-16)

Highlights: North Carolina State just isn’t scared of Florida State anymore. That’s another example of the way things have changed for FSU since the turn of the millennium. In their first 6 years in the ACC, Florida State went 6-0 against NC State, winning by an average of 36.3 points per game. At that point (through the 1997 season), the Noles were 14-4 all-time against the Wolfpack, and they hadn’t lost to NC State since 1967. But since 1998, the Noles had gone just 8-6 against NC State going into this year’s matchup in Raleigh. 

Regardless of recent history-- including FSU’s loss in their last visit to Raleigh in 2010—this game didn’t figure to have a lot of drama. Florida State came into the game ranked #3 at 5-0, having won all 5 of their games by at least 12 points. North Carolina State was 3-2, with wins over Connecticut (10-7), South Alabama, and Citadel, and losses to Tennessee and Miami. The Noles were 17-point favorites on the road. 

The Noles should have been favored, as they clearly had a superior team. Their defense shutdown NC State throughout much of the night. Florida State had a chance to put the game away late in the 1^st half, but they twice settled for short field goals inside the final 4 minutes of the 2^nd quarter. Still, they took a 16-0 lead into halftime and there was no reason to think NC State could outscore FSU by 17 the rest of the way. 

The Seminoles had Mike Glennon and the Wolfpack offense under wraps; so much so that Florida State seemed to play things very conservatively on offense, relying on their excellent kicking game to put points on the board and force NC State into bad field position. This confidence may have ended up hurting FSU in the end, as their own offense sputtered in the 2^nd half. 

NC State went on a long drive in the 3^rd quarter but had to settle for a FG, and that drive took 6 minutes off of the clock. Late in the 3^rd Florida State drove into NC State territory and looked to be on the verge of putting the game away. Suddenly EJ Manuel was picked off, giving NC State the ball at their 41 with 20 seconds left in the 3^rd quarter. NC State went 59 yards in 7 plays for a TD to make it a 16-10 game just 1 minute and 13 seconds into the 4^th quarter. 

The Noles looked to answer and they had a 3^rd and 2 at the NC State 19 but Manuel took a sack for a loss of 15. The Noles elected to punt rather than try a FG that would have made it a 2-score game. FSU went 3-and-out on their next possession and NC State drove across the 50 and had 1^st and 10 at the 36. On 4^th and 10, Glennon threw complete but short of the yard to gain and FSU took over at their own 32 with just 2:47 to play. 

Not for the first or last time in the game it appeared that Florida State was in good shape. However, FSU went 3-and-out and the Pack called 3 timeouts, brining up 4^th and 9 at the FSU 33 with 2:34 to play. That was plenty of time, but at least FSU could rely on punter Cason Beatty, who had pinned 5of his 6 punts inside the 20 and had yet to allow a return. Beatty never got a chance, as the Wolfpack came up with a huge play, blocking the punt. The Pack took over at the FSU 43 with 2:27 to go. 

They had no timeouts but plenty of time. FSU’s defense, however, looked up to the task, forcing NC State into a 4^th and 2 at the 35. Glennon got a completion for 7 yards to the 28 to keep hope alive. On the next play FSU was called for defensive pass interference, giving NC State a 1^st down at the 14. Florida State’s defense again stepped up, forcing 3 straight incompleitons to bring up 4^th and 10. Again Glennon converted, completing a pass for 12 yards and a 1^st and goal at the 2. 

Once more Florida State’s defense stiffened. It came down to 4^th and goal from the 2. Glennon then found Bryan Underwood in the end zone for a touchdown. The PAT made it 17-16 NC State with only 16 seconds to play. The Noles actually moved close to midfield on their final possession, but Manuel’s Hail Mary attempt was knocked down at the goal line, securing the upset for NC State. 

This was the first time a top 5 team had come to Raleigh since the #2 Seminoles in 1998. Just as in 1998, an unranked NC State team had managed to hand FSU their first defeat of the year. For the 13^th consecutive year FSU failed to get through their first 6 games unbeaten.