NC State vs. Georgia Tech

4SHOT Sports

College Hoops
NC State vs. Georgia Tech
By Larry Williams/4SHOT Sports
Oct 6, 2005, 07:30 EST

"Wolfpack" sting "Yellow Jackets"
Clark hauls in 2 TD passes

Bobby Dodd Stadium – Atlanta, GA

hit 2005 Mackey Award nominee TE-T.J. Williams tries to elude former Roswell H.S. star Chris Reis.

Right from the start Georgia Tech looked like they were still reeling from the massacre they took at the hands of Virginia Tech a week ago and NC State didn’t hesitate to “Keep their heads ringing – Dr. Dre” coming away with a 17-14 win in a national televised ESPN game Thursday night at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, GA.

In the first half quarterback Reggie Ball (Stephenson H.S.) who is one of my guys, didn’t look like the same quarterback who went down to Auburn and help beat the “Tigers”. His timing still appears to be off and it didn’t help that his receivers weren’t holding onto the ball. When he’s off the entire Georgia Tech team looks like a “Ramblin Wreck” waiting to happen.

Georgia Tech actually got the first break of the game when LB-Philip Wheeler (Shaw H.S.) intercepted a pass by QB-Jay Davis giving the “Yellow Jackets” great field position on the “Wolfpack” 38-yard line. Aided by a penalty and an 11-yard pass completion from Ball to “The Freak” WR-Calvin Johnson the “Yellow Jackets” move the ball to the 11-yard line.

Georgia Tech WR-Calvin Johnson (Sandy Creek H.S. is a badddd man. Here he hauls in a TD pass against NC State.

Ball loss the ball trying to pass and NC State recovered it. Ball argued to the official that the play should have been called an incomplete pass. Sure enough upon review the play was overturned and the “Yellow Jackets” regain possession. The drive stalled after that and Georgia Tech was forced to try a short field goal that kicker Travis Bell (Roswell H.S.) missed. It wouldn’t be the last one he missed on this night.

NC State took over on their 20-yard line and Davis went to work. First he hit 2005 Mackey Award nominee TE-T.J. Williams for 9-yards, then connected with WR-Brian Clark, who had a bigtime game for 21-yards and a first down on the Georgia Tech 40-yard line. The Davis to Clark combo finished off the drive when they connected on a 40-yard touchdown strike. The PAT by Georgia K-John Deraney (Fayette County H.S.) made the score 7-0.

Deraney who also handles the field goals and punting for NC State did a great job for the special teams pinning the “Yellow Jackets” up within their own 15-yard line on a couple of occasions.

In the 2^nd quarter Ball still showed signs of rust when he was picked off by NC State’s Miguel Scott, who returned the pick 35-yards to the Georgia Tech 26-yard line where Ball tackled him. On the play Scott was hurt and was carried off the field and taken to the “Wolfpack” locker room. When he returned to the field in the second half he was on crutches. NC State capitalized on the turnover getting a 36-yard field goal from Deraney to give them a 10-0 lead heading into the half.

Georgia native K-John Deraney (Fayette County H.S.) did a good job of kiciking off and punting for NC State.

In the 3^rd quarter Ball and the “Yellow Jackets” started to find their groove. Starting from their 4-yard line Ball hit WR-Damarius Bilbo who struggled to hold onto the ball in the first half, for 11-yards and a first down. Ball then hit RB-P.J. Daniels for eleven more yards out to the 30-yard line to keep the drive going. With the fans now back in the game Ball and Johnson hooked up for 29-yards moving the ball over into NC State Territory. The “Yellow Jackets” finished off the drive when Johnson stretched out to grab a 27-yard strike from Ball for the touchdown. Bell’s PAT cut the lead to 10-7.

With the offense now appearing to be in-sync the “Yellow Jackets” defense stepped up their game as DB-Kenny Scott picked off Davis on returned it to the “Wolfpack” 47-yard line. Ball completed passes to Johnson (19-yards) and TE-George Cooper (9-yards) to put the ball on the 19-yard line as the 3^rd quarter game to an end.

On the third play of the 4^th quarter Daniels dove into the endzone to finish off a 12-yard touchdown run as the “Yellow Jackets” took their first lead. Bell’s PAT made the score 14-10.

A few minutes later Georgia Tech got the ball back and mounted another drive that was highlighted by Ball’s 21-yard run that gave the team a first down on the NC State 12-yard line. The drive stalled there and Bell came on and tried a 24-yard chippy that was once again wide.

QB-Reggie Ball tries to get this pass over DL-John McCargo.

Knowing they had dodged another bullet Davis and the “Wolfpack” struck quickly when he went up top to WR-Brian Clark for 80-yards and his second touchdown catch of the game. The PAT put NC State back in front 17-14.

With just over 2:00 minutes left in the game Georgia Tech mounted one last drive to tie or win the game. Ball made a 15-yard run to make it first and ten from the 39-yard line. A 12-yard pass to Johnson moved the ball into NC State territory. A 14-yard pass to Daniels and another 15-yard scramble put the ball on the “Wolfpack” 3-yard line with :32 seconds left as the “Yellow Jackets” called timeout. After the timeout Ball threw a high pass for Johnson in the endzone, Johnson seemingly had caught the ball but as his legs were taken from underneath him by a “Wolfpack “ defender the ball came out of his hands into the waiting arms of NC State’s Garland Heath, preserving a 17-14 “Wolfpack” win.