Recap: NC State 33, Syracuse 25

Saturday, September 30

Raleigh, NC

12:20 pm

Syracuse University

2-3 , 0-1

NC State

4-1 , 2-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Syracuse

NC State

Photo by: Charles Wainwright

9/30/2017 3:53:00 PM | Football

Box Score Cuse TV: Highlights Cuse TV: Dino Babers Press Conference Cuse TV: Eric Dungey Press Conference Cuse TV: Ervin Philips Press Conference Photo Gallery Postgame Notes Quotes

Phillips sets ACC single-game record with 17 catches

RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State (4-1, 2-0 ACC) overcame a second-half Syracuse (2-3, 0-1 ACC) comeback and won its fourth straight game 33-25 at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 30. The Wolfpack were victorious for the 10th time in 11 series meetings with the Orange.

Syracuse put together a strong second half for the second week in a row, outscoring NC State 18-7 after halftime. Quarterback Eric Dungey accounted for all three Orange touchdowns (2 rushing, 1 passing). The junior signal-caller threw for 385 yards to record his school-record eighth 300-yard passing game.

The Wolfpack held off the Orange thanks to a rushing attack that generated 256 yards, including 115 from junior Nyheim Hines, and a defense that recorded three sacks and nine tackles for loss.

HOW IT WAS DECIDED
NC State scored five straight possessions to start the game and led 26-7 at the break. A Dungey 1-yard touchdown on the first series of the second half and a 38-yard, third-quarter field goal by Sterling Hofrichter narrowed the NC State advantage to 26-17. However, the Wolfpack responded with a 10-play, 60-yard scoring drive to push the margin to 33-17 in the fourth period.

The Orange charged back again as Dungey connected with Steve Ishmael on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 4:39 remaining. Dungey then ran in the ensuing two-point conversion to shave the NC State lead down to 33-25.

Syracuse elected to try an onside kick following Dungey's score. NC State recovered and ran out the clock, including converting a fourth-and-1 on a quarterback sneak by redshirt junior Ryan Finley.

BABERS' TAKE
"I think that when you look at that football team, NC State, (they're) very physical, very strong in their front seven," Orange head coach Dino Babers said. "The job that their offensive line did on our defensive line to rush for the yards that they rushed for was absolutely amazing. Once again, (they have) fourth-, fifth-year guys that have been around a long time. My hat goes off to Coach (Dave) Doeren. That was a physical football team and they deserved the victory."

RECORD-SETTER
Ervin Philips broke a school and ACC record by hauling in 17 passes on the afternoon. He also finished with a career-high 188 yards receiving. Philips had 14 receptions against Colgate last year, which at the time equaled Art Monk's record from 1977. Ishmael also previously shared the record with 14 catches in Syracuse's loss to Middle Tennessee.

Philips eclipsed the previous conference standard of 16 receptions achieved nine times previously, most recently by Clemson's Sammy Watkins (vs. Ohio State) and Wake Forest's Michael Campanaro (vs. Louisiana-Monroe) in 2013.

Philips now ranks second in career catches for the Orange with 178. The school record is 201, established by Alec Lemon (2009-12).

OF NOTE
Dungey became the fifth player in team history with 50+ touchdowns responsible for. In 22 games, he's accounted for 51 touchdowns (33 passing, 18 rushing). His two rushing touchdowns against the Wolfpack moved him to within one of tying Bill Hurley (1975-79) and Donovan McNabb (1995-98) for the most rushing TDs by an Orange quarterback.

Dungey also moved up two Syracuse career passing lists during the course of the game. He overtook Perry Patterson (456) for fourth in career completions. He also jumped Patterson (5,220) in career passing yards. Dungey has completed 470-of-744 passes for 5,414 yards in his Syracuse tenure.

Ishmael tied an Orange record with his fifth straight 100-yard receiving game. He finished the afternoon with six catches for 120 yards and tied the consecutive-games mark set by Amba Etta-Tawo in 2016.

Linebackers Parris Bennett and Zaire Franklin each had double-digit tackles in the game with 13 and 12, respectively. Bennett's 13 stops raised his career total to 200 tackles.

UP NEXT
Syracuse returns to the Carrier Dome for an encounter with its most familiar ACC foe, Pittsburgh, on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 12:30 p.m. The game will be televised on RSN.

It's Homecoming/Orange Central Weekend for Syracuse University and tickets for the Pitt game start at $35. They are available online (Cuse.com/tickets), by phone (888-DOME-TIX) and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B).

Parking permits are also available and can be purchased online by clicking here. Permits will be sold up through Friday, Oct. 6. The deadline to buy parking permits to have them shipped was Wednesday, Sept. 27. Permits purchased after Sept. 27 can be picked up at the Carrier Dome Box Office.

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