RALEIGH, N.C.-- Just like the sun set following the 4:30 p.m. kickoff at N.C. State Saturday, the sun also set on the Cavaliers' seven-game win streak as the Wolfpack defeated Virginia 29-24.
The final go-ahead score for N.C. State (3-5, 1-3 ACC) occurred with 7:37 left in the game. Down 24-23, the Wolfpack struck quickly on the drive with two 30-yard passes from junior quarterback Daniel Evans to sophomore wide receiver Donald Bowens, the second resulting in a touchdown. Evans and Bowens were the forces that could not be stopped by the Cavalier defense. Evans completed 26 of 46 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns. Bowens, who was recruited by Virginia (7-2, 4-1 ACC), racked up 11 catches for 202 yards and two scores.
"Evans was terrific," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "Obviously a big impact on the ball game [with] some of the plays he was able to make."
Virginia freshman cornerback Ras-I Dowling, who covered Bowens during the match, tied a school record with five pass breakups and also tallied an interception, the first for any Virginia cornerback this season. He appeared to have Bowens blanketed on the touchdown catch.
"It was good coverage," Dowling said. "But he made a couple of plays, he's a good player."
Virginia played from behind all day. The Cavaliers pulled to within three points at 20-17 with 27 seconds left in the first half when sophomore quarterback Jameel Sewell completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Cary Koch, the first touchdown catch of his career at Virginia.
"Jameel threw an excellent ball," Koch said. "It couldn't have been placed more perfectly. We've been working on that play all week, and we executed it perfectly."
Virginia did not take a lead until the 13:12 mark of the fourth quarter, when sophomore running back Mikell Simpson rushed the ball into the end zone from five yards out to make the score 24-23. Simpson followed up his stellar performance at Maryland with a solid day, finishing with 21 runs for 81 yards and one touchdown; he also grabbed four passes for 35 yards.
On a key fourth and one from the Wolfpack 16-yard line during the drive, Sewell picked up 11 yards on a run that aided the Cavaliers' march to take the lead. Despite the loss and throwing two interceptions, Sewell had a career day. He completed 24 of 43 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns. He also gained 47 yards rushing.
"Obviously, Jameel had some plays in there that really carried us and showed his dual-capacity to run and throw the ball and energize this team," Groh said. "Certainly he did everything we asked of him today."
The Cavaliers seemed to have clinched another improbable win on two instances before N.C. State's final touchdown.
The first came on the ensuing kickoff, when senior kicker Chris Gould deliberately kicked the ball short to keep it away from Wolfpack senior return man Darrell Blackman, one of the most productive return men in ACC history. The ball bounced off of an N.C. State player and was recovered by Virginia senior safety Jamaal Jackson in Wolfpack territory, yet Virginia was off-sides on the kickoff, negating the turnover.
"You would hope that with the ball being kicked to the far right, that on the left side you would have enough discipline to realize that that side wasn't the most important side," Groh said. "One first down from that point would have been at least a three-point try, certainly with the momentum following the score."
The second instance Virginia seemed to have a victory set came on the following N.C. State possession when Dowling picked up his interception at the Cavalier 15-yard line, halting the Wolfpack's first try to retake the lead with 10:28 left in the game.
Virginia did nothing on its next drive, though, and punted the ball right back to N.C. State after one first down.
After the Wolfpack went up 29-24, Virginia failed to produce on any of its remaining drives, not advancing any farther than its own 35-yard line.
On 2nd and 10 following the N.C. State score, Sewell was sacked and left the game with severe cramps. Freshman quarterback Peter Lalich came in to relieve Sewell, proving to be ineffective. He was sacked on the last play of the game, thwarting Virginia's hopes of another close victory and school-record eighth consecutive win.
"I was as frustrated as I've ever been," Sewell said of his inability to help the team during the closing minutes of the game.
Now, Virginia must regroup and focus on a tough Wake Forest team at home next week that has won six consecutive games.
"We're going to bounce back," Koch said. "This is a little stepping stone ... We're going to keep fighting"
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