In its 2015 ACC finale, Florida State scored 27 unanswered points to defeat North Carolina State 34-17 at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday.
The Wolfpack raced to an early 17-7 lead, thanks to three first half turnovers from FSU quarterback Everett Golson. N.C. State quarterback Jacoby Brissett fired a 2-yard pass to Jaylen Samuels to give the Wolfpack (6-4, 2-4 ACC) a 10-7 lead. Brissett added a 2-yard rushing touchdown after Jack Tocho intercepted Golson to set N.C. State up in Florida State territory.
Seminoles’ sophomore running back Dalvin Cook scored each of FSU’s first two touchdowns on runs of 13 and 30 yards. Cook finished the day with 138 yards rushing, surpassing Warrick Dunn’s FSU single-season rushing record of 1,242 yards in the process. Dunn set the record as a junior in 1995.
After starting at quarterback the last two weeks, Sean Maguire replaced an ineffective Golson to lead the FSU comeback. Maguire finished 18-for-28 passing for 231 yards and a pair of touchdown passes to Kermit Whitfield, who finished the day with 117 yards receiving. Maguire was intercepted once.
After trailing for most of the first half, the Seminoles drew even on a 40-yard field goal by Roberto Aguayo with under a minute to play in the second quarter. Aguayo’s 26-yard field goal on the opening drive of the third quarter put the Seminoles (8-2, 6-2 ACC) ahead for good. Maguire and Whitfield padded the lead by hooking up on touchdown passes of 27 and 45 yards.
Florida State held N.C. State off the scoreboard for the final three quarters and stuffed Brissett at the goal line on the game’s final play. FSU outgained the Wolfpack 479-297 in the victory, but turnovers allowed N.C. State to hang around. Entering Saturday, Florida State had only three offensive turnovers for the season and four total. The Seminoles turned the ball over five times on the day.
After throwing for over 350 yards against the Seminoles last season in Raleigh, Brissett finished with 209 yards Saturday on 27-for-47 passing. Brissett was also the Wolfpack’s leading rusher with 25 yards on 17 carries.
Saturday’s victory marked the fifth time in six years that FSU has won at least six conference games under head coach Jimbo Fisher, but for the first time since 2011, the Seminoles will not play for the conference crown. The Seminoles will play their final home game next Saturday against Chattanooga. N.C. State will remain home for its final two games, beginning with Syracuse next Saturday.
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