North Carolina State 34, UCF 27

[December 27, 2014]  North Carolina State 34, Central Florida 27: Matt Dayes rushed for two touchdowns and Jacoby Brissett threw for 262 yards and a score as the Wolfpack withstood a late rally by the Knights in the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl.

Shadrach Thornton rushed for 96 yards and threw an 18-yard TD pass for North Carolina State (8-5), which outgained the Knights 487-373 in total yards and won its first bowl game since 2011. Dayes had 13 carries for 78 yards while Johnathan Alston had 58 receiving yards, including a 37-yard score, as the Wolfpack closed by winning four of their final five games.

Justin Holman was 23-of-53 for 291 yards with three touchdown passes to Josh Reese and an interception for UCF (9-4), which saw its three-game bowl win streak come to an end. The Knights, who came in ranked fifth in the nation in rushing defense at 97.4 yards per game, allowed a season-high 187 yards on the ground, with most of the damage coming in the third quarter.

North Carolina State used a trick play to move ahead 7-3 midway through the first quarter as Brissett tossed the ball back to Thornton, who threw an 18-yard TD pass to Samuels. Holman opened the second quarter with a 6-yard TD pass to Reese, but the Wolfpack took a 17-10 lead into the break on Brissett’s scoring strike to Alston and Niklas Sade’s 19-yard field goal.

The Wolfpack took control in the third quarter as Dayes capped a 75-yard drive with a 24-yard TD run and later added a 15-yard scoring run to extend the lead to 31-13. Holman connected with Reese on two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including a 2-yard pass with 1:44 remaining, but the Wolfpack sealed the win after recovering the ensuing onside kick.

GAME NOTEBOOK: William Stanback rushed 12 times for 38 yards for UCF, which was held to 82 yards on the ground. … Brissett completed 15-of-26 passes while Bo Hines led North Carolina State with 79 receiving yards, including a 45-yard catch, and also threw a 20-yard pass early in the fourth quarter. … Breshad Perriman had nine receptions for 138 yards for the Knights, who closed the regular season with four straight wins.

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