Wilson sparks State past Pitt

RALEIGH

Russell Wilson wouldn't let N.C. State lose yesterday, no matter how hard it appeared to try.

"I don't understand why we played the way we did," Coach Tom O'Brien said.

Wilson, hitting midseason stride a couple of games early, directed three straight scoring drives to rally the Wolfpack to a dramatic 38-31 victory over Pittsburgh yesterday in front of 57,583 at Carter-Finley Stadium.

In doing so, he cured a lot of ills that included 12 penalties, two botched field-goal attempts and a snap over Wilson's head after N.C. State had finally taken its first lead midway through the fourth quarter.

N.C. State improved to 3-1 going into next week's ACC opener at Wake Forest. Pitt fell to 3-1.

"I don't think anybody was trying to lose," running back Toney Baker said. "But when you look at Russell in the huddle you know you've got a chance.

"He's a pretty special player, and person."

Wilson amassed a career-high 413 yards -- 322 through the air and 91 on the ground -- and four touchdown passes in a performance reminiscent of last season when he was named first-team All-ACC quarterback as a freshman. He was again at his best when his team needed him most, overcoming a 31-17 deficit by leading the Wolfpack to touchdown drives of 45, 83 and 71 yards in the final 20 minutes.

His 33-yard touchdown pass to Jarvis Williams pulled N.C. State to 31-24, his two runs of 25 yards and 21 yards set up a 7-yard touchdown pass to George Bryan that tied the game at 31 and his 26-yard strike to Steven Howard led to Baker's game-winning 2-yard touchdown three plays and a critical pass-interference call in the end zone later.

"Russell's very poised," receiver T.J. Graham said. "Russell doesn't panic."

Baker's second touchdown of the game provided a 38-31 lead, and the Wolfpack's defense held despite a high snap by center Ted Larsen that gave the Panthers possession at the Wolfpack 8 with 2:45 remaining. Freshman safety Brandon Bishop made a crucial open-field tackle on second down and broke up a pass deep in the end zone on third down before quarterback Bill Stull threw incomplete on fourth down with only a minute and 15 seconds remaining.

Wide receiver Dorin Dickerson appeared to have Stull's pass in his hands on third down before Bishop broke up the play.

"I just saw the quarterback, he was kind of staring at (Dickerson) the whole way," Bishop said. "I saw the ball go up in the air and I just knew we had to make a play."

A less-than-elated O'Brien cut the victory celebration short.

"I know the kids are very happy," O'Brien said. "But if you look at it, we're just not a very good football team right now. I mean there's too many mistakes and I've done a bad job coaching them. Anytime you've got 12 penalties, and most of them are before the snap, it's just a bad job."

Pitt, leading 31-24, had a chance to stem the Wolfpack's momentum when an incomplete pass left N.C. State facing a fourth-and-14 from the Panthers' 28. O'Brien said he considered attempting a field goal, even though Josh Czajkowski had missed one attempt from 32 yards and had an attempt from 37 yards blocked.

Instead, O'Brien put the game in Wilson's hands, and Wilson responded by sprinting around right end for a 21-yard gain.

"I got the opportunity to run the ball and I took off," Wilson said. "There was nothing much to it."

dcollins@wsjournal.com


727-7323

Pittsburgh 10 7 14 0 -- 31


N.C. State 7 3 14 14 -- 38

First Quarter

Pitt--Lewis 6 run (Hutchins kick), 13:02.

Pitt--FG Hutchins 35, 9:08.

NCSU--T.Gentry 23 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick), 2:39.

Second Quarter

Pitt--Lewis 7 run (Hutchins kick), 12:11.

NCSU--FG Czajkowski 25, :00.

Third Quarter

NCSU--Baker 38 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick), 12:36.

Pitt--Saddler 13 pass from Stull (Hutchins kick), 10:03.

Pitt--Baldwin 79 pass from Stull (Hutchins kick), 4:15.

NCSU--Ja.Williams 33 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick), 2:44.

Fourth Quarter

NCSU--Bryan 7 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick), 12:26.

NCSU--Baker 2 run (Czajkowski kick), 6:28.

A--57,583.

TEAM STATISTICS

Pitt NCSU

First downs 11 27

Rushes-yards 23-94 46-208

Passing 206 322

Comp-Att-Int 12-23-0 21-35-0

Return Yards 7 18

Punts-Avg. 6-45.5 3-45.7

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 4-1

Penalties-Yards 8-80 12-81

Time of Possession 22:53 37:07

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--Pittsburgh, Lewis 19-95, Graham 2-6, Saddler 1-1, Stull 1-(minus 8). N.C. State, R.Wilson 10-91, Baker 18-81, Eugene 16-59, Team 2-(minus 23).

PASSING--Pittsburgh, Stull 12-23-0-206. N.C. State, R.Wilson 21-35-0-322.

RECEIVING--Pittsburgh, Dickerson 4-52, Baldwin 2-98, Saddler 2-17, Turner 1-26, Lewis 1-6, McGee 1-4, Byham 1-3. N.C. State, Davis 4-47, Bryan 4-28, Baker 3-71, Graham 3-63, Eugene 3-27, Ja.Williams 2-37, Howard 1-26, T.Gentry 1-23.