Associated Press
The college football notebook …
RALEIGH – North Carolina State’s players can finally stop seething over an ugly, mistake-filled performance in their Atlantic Coast Conference opener. Now they can think about a memorable comeback that shook up the race for both the conference and national championship.
Mike Glennon found Bryan Underwood for a 2-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 16 seconds left, helping the Wolfpack rally to beat third-ranked Florida State 17-16 on Saturday night. N.C. State trailed 16-0 at halftime, but shut out the Seminoles after the break while cutting down on the miscues that plagued it during last week’s 44-37 loss at Miami.
“I think after a win like that,” Glennon said, “you move on from that other loss.”
In the Miami loss, N.C. State coughed up six turnovers, committed 14 penalties and gave up the winning touchdown pass in the final minute – a performance that led to a players-only meeting early in the week. Against Florida State, the Wolfpack had just one turnover, four penalties and came up with a winning TD pass of its own in the final minute.
N.C. State is headed into an off week before traveling to Maryland and rival North Carolina.
“You just have that extra edge (after a loss),” center Camden Wentz said. “It’s human nature, it really is, when you lose and have a tough game like that.”
The Seminoles (5-1, 2-1 ACC) appeared poised to strengthen their grip on their division, leading 16-0 at halftime behind a dominating defensive performance.
But the Wolfpack (4-2, 1-1) inched closer after halftime before coming up with a game-turning blocked punt by Mike Rose with 2:27 left, giving the ball back to Glennon at the FSU 43 with a chance to complete a stunning comeback.
Glennon marched the Wolfpack down the field and completed a pair of fourth-down passes inside the 15, the second when he found Underwood alone over the middle to tie the game and take the lead on the ensuing point-after kick.
WAKE FOREST
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – On the third play of the game, Wake Forest quarterback Tanner Price threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to Terence Davis to put the Demon Deacons in front of Maryland and stun the crowd of 40,391.
Sadly for Wake Forest, that would be high point of a 19-14 loss Saturday.
Price went 13 for 38 for 170 yards, but the Demon Deacons lost two fumbles, missed two field goal tries and twice couldn’t punch the ball in the end zone from the Maryland 1.
And it all started so well. Davis slipped behind the Maryland secondary on the right side and was all alone when the pass from Price landed in his hands.
“I don’t recall another big play offensively,” coach Jim Grobe said. “From that point on, it was pretty tough sledding.”
Price wasn’t able to bring the Demon Deacons back, but it wasn’t entirely his fault. He spent much of the game running from Maryland’s defense, which came in ranked eighth in the nation in yardage allowed.
“I think you have to look at him and say he didn’t play very well, but I don’t think he had a lot of support,” Grobe said. “We dropped some balls today, which hurt us.”
NEW POLL
NEW YORK – South Carolina, Florida and West Virginia move into the top five of The Associated Press college football poll after a Saturday during which nine Top 25 teams lost.
No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Oregon hold their spots at the top of the rankings. Alabama is a unanimous No. 1 again. The rest of Top 25 got a makeover.
No. 3 South Carolina, off a 35-7 victory against Georgia, moves up three spots. No. 4 Florida jumps six after beating LSU 14-6. No. 5 West Virginia moves up three with a 48-45 victory at Texas.
No. 6 Kansas State, No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 8 Ohio State also move up.
LSU drops to No. 9 and unbeaten Oregon State is No. 10.
The last time nine ranked college teams lost in the same week was the weekend of Oct. 18, 2008.