Momentum is a powerful force in football, it can cause a team to win a game it shouldn’t, or to lose a game it had no business losing. Momentum doesn’t come by luck of course, its manufactured by stringing together positive plays over a short period of time.
When NC State plays a team like Clemson, they need to establish positive momentum to win, and to be honest, the circumstances were in place for them to do it. They received the opening kickoff, Matt Dayes broke free for a 41 yard rush, then on a fourth and short play QB Jacoby Brisset took an option keeper in for the score. The crowd was loud, the players were hyped up, and things were looking generally good for the Pack……
Then Kicker Kyle Bambard had the PAT blocked, the ensuing kickoff was a line drive that the resulted in a big kick return, and Clemson methodically marched downfield, eventually scoring on a long scamper by QB Deshaun Watson.
Clemson’s now up 7-6 and the crowd is quiet again.
But credit goes to NC State for responding in a big way. Nyheim Hines took the kickoff to the house, the crowd was frenzied, everything was back on track….
Until NC State picks up an unnecessary personal foul on the kickoff, giving Clemson fantastic field position yet again. The very next play, Deshaun Watson hits WR Renfrow for a 57 yard TD catch.
Momentum is squashed yet again.
Things settled down after that. NC State actually managed to block the PAT to keep the score tied. They turned the ball over but limited the damage to a FG. But towards the end of the second quarter, it seemed as if State was going to go into the half having finally seized the momentum.
Jaylen Samuels scored a TD on a long catch and run with 5:46 left in the half to put State back on top, and the Wolfpack D forced a Clemson punt which Braylon Cherry returned across midfield. The Offense couldn’t put it in the endzone, but it looked like they would tack on a FG with just over a minute left in the half.
Instead Bambard missed the kick badly, and Clemson completed two long passes to score and take the lead going into halftime. It was disheartening.
We all know how the second half went. NC State went down by two possessions and battled to keep it close but never got the ball with a chance to tie in the fourth quarter.
Every State fan can be proud that the team never gave up. They made plays on both sides of the ball, they just couldn’t string them together. They couldn’t manufacture that momentum that is so critical to the underdog pulling the upset.
It wouldn’t even be that concerning if it didn’t seem like it was a common trend for the season.
Remember the Louisville game? NC States defense was dominating, and the offense was starting to click. Brissett hit Ramos on a long third down pass that gets inside the 10 yard line, but as he was fighting for extra yards fumbles the ball. Louisville gets the ball back and Lamar Jackson rips a huge TD run. NC State was not really able to put anything together for the rest of that game.
What about the Friday night game at Virginia Tech? The pack jump out to a 10-0 lead. Looks like things should be rolling. Hakim Jones gets hurt and the D can’t respond. They end up giving up 21 unanswered.
Even against Wake Forest, the team was absolutely on fire, scoring 28 in the first quarter. After that things stagnated, and I’m not sure weather it was just the staff completely taking the foot off the gas, or the players not giving it their all, but where was the killer instinct from the South Alabama game?
If NC State intends to turn the season around, they have to be more opportunistic. They need to cut out the self inflicted momentum killers, and to make timely plays. Momentum is the friend of this NC State team, and something they should thrive on.
Its just a couple of plays away.
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