N.C. State 38, Maryland 31

N.C. State finally has its long-awaited, first ACC win.

Quarterback Russell Wilson passed for three touchdowns, ran for another and survived a three-interception game as the Wolfpack defeated Maryland 38-31 on Saturday afternoon at Carter-Finley Stadium.

N.C. State (4-5, 1-4 ACC) still can become bowl eligible if it wins its remaining three games against Clemson, Virginia Tech and North Carolina.

Wilson passed for 343 yards and scored on a 2-yard run, but also was intercepted three times for the first time in his career. Alex Wujciak returned a first-quarter interception 70 yards for a touchdown.

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N.C. State turns the ball over on Downs when Owen Spencer drops a pass in the end zone with 59 seconds remaining.

Maryland trails by seven and has first -and-10 on its 31-yard line with no timeouts left. 

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Maryland still has a chance.

Nick Ferrara kicked a 31-yard field goal with 4:56 remaining in the fourth quarter to cut N.C. State's lead to 38-31. 

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A leaping, 38-yard catch by Owen Spencer over a Maryland defender on third down put N.C. State in position to score.

A pass interference penalty by Alex Wujciak against George Bryan on third down kept the drive alive. And Jamelle Eugene kept his legs churning for an N.C. State touchdown on a 2-yard run with 13:39 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Wolfpack leads 38-28.

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Russell Wilson has thrown his career-high third interception of the day.

Wilson threw a pass right into the gut of safety Kenny Tate. Maryland took over first-and 10 at the N.C. State 35-yard line, but the Wolfpack defense held when Nick Ferrara missed a 47-yard field goal attempt with 4:02 left in the third quarter.

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Just when N.C. State seemed to have momentum, Torrey Smith took it back for Maryland.

Smith returned a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown with 10:09 remaining in the third quarter to cut N.C. State's lead to 31-28.

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N.C. State is up by more than seven points for the first time today.

On the opening drive of the second half, Russell Wilson went 5-for-5 passing for 53 yards and then rolled right for a 2-yard touchdown run to increase the Wolfpack's lead to 31-21 with 10:19 remaining in the third quarter.

Wilson has three touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown.

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Maryland QB Chris Turner is out for the remainder of the game with a left knee injury.

Charlotte Myers Park graduate Jamarr Robinson has replaced him.

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Another forced pass by Russell Wilson robbed N.C. State of a scoring chance in the final minute of the first half.

Cornerback Richard Taylor intercepted Wilson in the end zone after the Wolfpack had driven to the Maryland 11-yard line. N.C. State still leads 24-21.

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An excellent scoring opportunity for Maryland was quashed when N.C. State defensive end Audi Augustin blocked a 27-yard field goal attempt with 1:40 remaining in the first half.

Augustin preserved a 24-21 N.C. State lead. 

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Maryland quarterback Chris Turner left the field in obvious pain after injuring his left leg on a hit by Shea McKeen as the Terrapins prepared to punt.

N.C. State's Donald Bowens muffed the punt, giving Maryland the ball at the N.C. State 31-yard line. Backup quarterback Jamarr Robinson entered the game for the Terrapins.

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A third-and-13 was no problem for the N.C. State offense and Russell Wilson.

Wilson stepped forward to escape pressure, waved to wideout Darrell Davis and delivered an 18-yard scoring strike to reclaim a 24-21 lead for the Wolfpack with 7:02 remaining in the second quarter.

Wilson already has three touchdown passes, plus a touchdown pass to the opponent if you count Alex Wujciak's 70-yard interception return.

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Maryland has its first lead of the day.

N.C. State linebacker Dwayne Maddox whiffed on the tackle as he attempted to sack Chris Turner after getting a clean shot at the Maryland quarterback on third-and-4. Turner escaped and threw a 20-yard pass to Adrian Cannon.

On the next play, Turner scored on a 1-yard run to give the Terrapins a 21-17 lead with 12:52 remaining in the second quarter.

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He didn't have much real estate to spare.

Nonetheless, Josh Czajkowski had just enough leg to drop a career-long, 48-yard field goal over the cross bar with 51 seconds remaining in the first quarter. He gave N.C. State a 17-14 lead. 

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Russell Wilson made a rare mistake.

On fourth-and-6, Wilson forced a pass into coverage that Alex Wujciak intercepted and returned 70 yards for a touchdown to tie the score at 14-14 with 4:57 remaining in the second quarter.

Earlier on the N.C. State drive, Donald Bowens dropped what would have been a touchdown pass. The Wolfpack was forced to punt, but a running into the punter penalty on Maryland caused coach Tom O'Brien to try to get a first down on fourth-and-6 at the Terps' 33.

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Apparently N.C. State isn't the only team with cornerbacks who can't make plays on the ball.

Donald Bowens was well covered by Maryland's Anthony Wiseman, but Wiseman seemed unaware that Russell Wilson's pass was coming. Bowens caught a 35-yard touchdown pass with 8:53 remaining in the first quarter, claiming a 14-7 lead for N.C. State.

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Now this is what we've come to expect from the N.C. State defense.

After Willie Young's interception on the first series for the Wolfpack, Chris Turner made up for his mistake by efficiently driving Maryland downfield for a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Davin Meggett.

The score is tied 7-7 with 10;25 remaining in the first quarter.

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It didn't take long for N.C. State's maligned defense to make a big play against Maryland.

On the first play from scrimmage, defensive end Willie Young dropped back into coverage and intercepted Maryland's Chris Turner.

The Wolfpack took over at the Terrapins' 21-yard line, and got a 17-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson to George Bryan 52 seconds into the game for a 7-0 lead.