NC State appeared headed for a comfortable victory over App State on Saturday night.
Then the Mountaineers made things very uncomfortable.
NC State survived an App State second-half comeback, answering after the Mountaineers erased a 21-point deficit and tied the game in the fourth quarter to earn a 41-31 victory at Carter-Finley Stadium.
The Wolfpack led 21-0 midway through the second quarter and stretched the advantage to 28-7 on CJ Bailey’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Keenan Jackson with 39 seconds remaining before halftime.
James London’s 48-yard field goal as time expired gave App State some momentum heading into the locker room, cutting the deficit to 28-10.
The Mountaineers carried it into the second half.
Jaquari Lewis scored on a 2-yard run early in the third quarter before NC State answered with a Kanoah Vinesett field goal to make it 31-17.
Then things got wild.
Malachi Singleton found Sam Pickett III for an 18-yard touchdown with 11:28 remaining, pulling App State within 31-24. The Mountaineers recovered the ensuing onside kick and needed just four plays to find the end zone again.
Singleton connected with tight end Gavin Barber for a 9-yard touchdown, completing the comeback and tying the game 31-31 with 9:41 remaining.
NC State, which lost at Vanderbilt last Saturday in the most heartbreaking fashion, responded with perhaps its most important drive of the night. Maybe the season.
The Wolfpack leaned on their running game, marching 75 yards in nine plays before Jayden “Duke” Scott broke through for a 16-yard touchdown that put NC State back in front 38-31 with 5:08 remaining.
Back in front. #1Pack1Goal pic.twitter.com/BgBE7tB2C4 — NC State Football (@PackFootball) September 27, 2026
App State’s London’s tried a 42-yard field-goal attempt in the final minute that would have pulled the Mountaineers within seven, setting up another chance at an onsides kick. But London’s kick pushed wide, and the Wolfpack ran out the clock to preserve the victory.
NC State improved to 2-2, while App State (3-1) suffered its first loss of the season.
NC State Standouts
- Jayden “Duke” Scott: Bullish runner led the Pack with 25 carries, 148 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead 16-yard TD after App State had tied the game. He also caught two passes for eight yards.
- CJ Bailey: 24-of-33 for 253 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, plus a 5-yard rushing touchdown.
- Keenan Jackson: Four catches for a team-high 64 yards and a touchdown, including the 17-yard score just before halftime.
- Popo Aguirre: Team-high 10 tackles, including five solo stops and one tackle for loss.
- Kanoah Vinesett: Perfect when called upon — field goals of 23 and 35 yards plus his PATs.
App State Standouts
- Malachi Singleton: Led the comeback, completing 26 of 38 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He also scored on a 3-yard run. His fourth-quarter TD passes to Sam Pickett III and Gavin Barber helped turn a 31-17 deficit into a 31-31 tie.
- Sam Pickett III: App’s biggest receiving threat had five catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. His 18-yard TD reception with 11:28 remaining pulled the Mountaineers within 31-24.
- Nate Branch: A chain-mover all night — nine catches for 87 yards on 11 targets, leading App State in receptions.
- Darrin Fugitt: Added four receptions for 63 yards, giving Singleton three receivers with at least 63 yards.
- Jaquari Lewis: The rushing numbers weren’t huge — eight carries for 32 yards — but his 2-yard touchdown early in the third quarter started App State’s comeback from the 28-10 halftime deficit.
- Carson Sloan: Defensive standout for App had eight tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and two pass breakups.
By the Numbers
- 7-for-7: NC State’s red-zone scoring, five touchdowns and two field goals.
- 206: NC State rushing yards. App State finished with just 62.
- 148: Rushing yards for Duke Scott on 25 carries. The Mountaineers didn’t have an answer for this part of the Pack offense.
- 11-of-17: NC State on third down — 64.7%. That’s a big reason State possessed the ball for 36:23.
- 459: NC State total offense, compared with 379 for App State.
- 317: Malachi Singleton’s passing yards in the loss.
- 2028: The next time these teams are scheduled to play again, this time in Boone. This year’s meeting was the first since 2006.
🏆 More Scores: Full North Carolina College Scoreboard
