Duke Scott ran 16 yards for a go-ahead touchdown with 5:08 remaining and North Carolina State survived after a 21-point lead vanished, beating Appalachian State 41-31 on Saturday night in Raleigh, N.C.
CJ Bailey threw for two touchdowns and ran for one TD to help the Wolfpack (2-2) bounce back from a stunning last-second loss a week earlier when he fumbled in the end zone while trying to run out the clock, providing Vanderbilt with the winning points.
Bailey completed 24 of 33 throws for 253 yards with an interception. Scott, who had 25 total carries, rushed for 148 yards and two scores. Of those yards, 44 came on the late drive that put the Wolfpack back in front.
Malachi Singleton threw for two touchdowns and ran for another for Appalachian State (3-1). He was 26-for-38 passing for 317 yards.
A stunning fourth-quarter stretch allowed Appalachian State to pull even at 31-31.
Trailing 31-17, Aaron Clark intercepted, giving App State the ball at the Wolfpack 42-yard line. The Mountaineers were in the end zone five plays later on Sam Pickett III’s diving 18-yard catch.
With a roughing-the-passer penalty on the TD assessed on the kickoff, Appalachian State attempted and recovered an onside kick. Singleton threw 9 yards to Gavin Barber with 9:41 left as the Mountaineers posted 14 points in less than two minutes.
But NC State responded with a 75-yard drive that consumed 4:33, with Scott’s TD run restoring the advantage. The Wolfpack tacked on Kanoah Vinesett’s 35-yard field goal with less than two minutes left to push the lead to two scores.
Bailey ran 5 yards for a touchdown on the game’s opening possession. Scott had a 9-yard run in the final seconds of the first quarter.
Bailey’s 10-yard scoring pass to Ashton Locklear before the midway mark of the second quarter built the lead to 21-0.
Appalachian State got on the board with 6:07 left in the half, with Singleton running 3 yards for a touchdown.
But Bailey found Keenan Jackson for a 17-yard touchdown pass with 39 seconds left in the half.
The Mountaineers countered quickly with James London’s 48-yard field goal to cut the halftime deficit to 28-10.