CBS SportsLine wire reports
Sept. 19, 1998
WACO, Texas -- North Carolina State finally ran out of miracles.
Baylor's
|
North Carolina State (2-1) rallied from a 26-point halftime deficit and twice made fourth-down plays to get in position to send the game into overtime.
THE WOLFPACK CAME FROM 17 DOWN to beat Ohio University 34-31 and last week shocked second-ranked Florida State 24-7.
"I thought we'd score a TD late and win the game," Wolfpack coach Mike O'Cain said.
"We had great preparation," he added. "Baylor just may be better than we thought they were. It was hard for us to tell with just one film. Give them credit. They have great running backs and they played harder and wanted it more, especially in the first half."
Jamie Barnette completed two critical fourth-down passes to get the Wolfpack in position before Passingham missed his third field goal try of the game. Passingham was a substitute for regular kicker Scott Earwood, who was bothered by shin splints.
"We executed in the second half and put ourselves in position to get into overtime or win," O'Cain said. "I'm proud of the fight we had in us.''
RAY ROBINSON'S 34-YARD TOUCHDOWN run cut the deficit to 33-30 with 12:13 to play after the Wolfpack struck for 23 points in the third period. Barnette threw a 4-yard scoring pass to Devon Smith and touchdown passes of 80 and 11 yards to Torry Holt.
|
|
N.C. State made it close before Baylor's Gary Baxter broke up a fourth-quarter pass intended for Chris Coleman.
(AP)
|
Baylor (1-1) countered with a 4-yard touchdown run by Odell James before Robinson's big run.
Holt caught 11 passes for 255 yards. Barnette was 24-of-55 for 469 yards and three touchdowns.
"We got started too late," Holt said. "It was a wild finish.''
"Torry is an outstanding talent but he got tired in the second half," O'Cain said.
Baylor coach Dave Roberts said nothing the Bears did worked against Holt.
"We tried to double him and that didn't work," Roberts said. "We were very fortunate to win. The kicking game made the difference."
BAXTER AND JAMES CALVIN BOTH crashed in on Passingham, but Baxter took the credit.
"We both came in there, but I got a piece of the ball," Baxter said. "It was a play we had to make."
Touchdown runs of 27 yards by Derek Lagway and 2 yards by Elijah Burkins, an 82-yard fumble return by linebacker Kenyada Parker, a field goal and a safety put the favored Wolfpack down 26-0 at halftime.
Lagway rushed nine times for 82 yards to lead Baylor.
North Carolina State's high-powered offense kept misfiring while the Bears' ground game rolled.
Baylor jumped to a 5-0 lead on Matt Bryant's 32-yard field goal and a safety when punter Scott Earwood fumbled in his end zone.
LAGWAY BROKE THREE TACKLES ON HIS touchdown run and the Wolfpack trailed 12-0 in the first period.
A 57-yard pass from Barnette to Holt gave North Carolina State a first down at the Baylor 7. However, Barnette was hit by linebacker Jason Jackson while trying to pass and the ball came loose. Parker picked up the fumble and had an open field for the touchdown.
James completed a 41-yard pass to Darrell Bush to set up the touchdown run by Burkins.