By Pat Welter

Who says bowl games don’t matter? Lot of in-state bragging rights on the line as NC State faces ECU in the Military Bowl in Annapolis, MD. NC State hasn’t won a bowl game since 2017. The Wolfpack missing star receiver KC Concepcion who entered the transfer portal and defensive coordinator Tony Gibson who took the head coaching job at Marshall. ECU motivated with new coach Blake Harrell who was named full-time head coach after Mike Houston was fired earlier this season. The Pirates nearly beat NC State in Greenville in the 2022 opener. They’ll open versus NC State at Carter-Finley stadium in 2025.

Wolfpack offensive line featuring a new look for the bowl game. Anthony Belton and Tim McKay both opted out, so Val Erickson and Kamen Smith made their first career starts. NC State an effort to establish the run on the game’s opening drive, but came up short on 4th and 1 inside Pirates territory for a turnover on downs.

The Pirates took the first lead of the game after a 19-yard touchdown run from quarterback Katin Houser, capping off a 10-play drive from the Pirates. NC State opened with a10-play drive of their own, but were stuffed on 4th and 1 on the Pirates’ 25-yard-line.

The Wolfpack got another chance to score, but missed a 34-yard field goal at the start of the second quarter.

The Pirates tacked on a field goal on the ensuing drive, but the Wolfpack came back swinging late in the second quarter with an 8-yard strike from CJ Bailey to Dacari Collins, bringing the score to 10-7 with just under two minutes remaining in the half.

The Pirates got right back to work after getting the ball back, driving 51 yards on 11 plays and capping off the drive with a 42-yard field goal from Noah Perez with seconds remaining in the half.

Source: wralsportsfan.com