Distraught Hoo fans began to bleed from the stadium after the Wolfpack doubled the Cavaliers score late in the fourth quarter at Scott Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Sophomore cornerback David Amerson finished off the Cavaliers late in the fourth quarter after making an interception and leaping over Virginia’s offensive line to make the game 28-14 and ending the Pack’s (4-3, 1-2 ACC) conference-win drought. In the third interception of the game, junior safety Brandan Bishop picked off a pass from Virginia quarterback David Watford and made a 17-yard run, giving the Pack possession and effectively sealing the game. Amerson had the other two interceptions on the evening, bringing his conference-leading total to eight and tying the school record for interceptions in a season, set by Art Rooney in 1937. The Pack’s outlook in the first quarter was nothing to brag about after redshirt junior Mike Glennon had trouble gaining offensive ground and a field goal attempt by freshman placekicker Niklas Sade was blocked. Heading into the second quarter, the Cavaliers drew first blood five minutes in with a six-yard pass to freshman tailback Clifton Richardson, putting Virginia in the lead. A determined State side would not end the first half in a losing position, however, when a five-yard pass from Glennon found Tony Creecy, the redshirt freshman ran in to tie the game at 7-7. Redshirt freshman Bryan Underwood scored his first touchdown ever for the Wolfpack late in the first half, taking State into halftime with a 14-7 lead. The third quarter was a story of back-and-forth punts, 10 of which were shared between the Pack and the Cavs in the quarter alone. Underwood broke the second-half stalemate when he scored his second touchdown for the Pack, bringing the game to a 21-7 affair after a 79-yard pass from Glennon. Virginia refused to end the third quarter without a response when, one play later, Watford found sophomore wide receiver Tim Smith ran a 60-yard bomb into the end zone, bringing the Cavalier’s score back within a touchdown. With six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Amerson took away all hope for a Hoo comeback when he made his second interception of the game, snagging a Watford pass on the 12-yard line and leaping into the endzone. N.C. State will continue ACC play on Saturday when they travel to Florida State.
Football ends ACC win drought
By Josh Hyatt
Sports Editor
Sports Editor
October 21, 2011