Devin Leary, Kentucky Football News: Draft Scout Player News

09/25/21 - QB Devin Leary, rSr/2024, Kentucky

Clemson's final pass had barely hit the ground when North Carolina State's sideline began charging toward the field to celebrate, followed closely by red-clad Wolfpack fans pouring in to join them from all directions. The Wolfpack's long run of frustration in these marquee games is over. And the ninth-ranked Tigers' shot of returning to the College Football Playoff could be, too. N.C. State forced D.J. Uiagalelei into a fourth-down incompletion to seal a 27-21 win against the Tigers on Saturday. It's an outcome that shakes up the Atlantic Coast Conference race while also dealing a huge blow to the Tigers' playoff hopes in the long term behind yet another woeful offensive performance to start the year.

N.C. State (3-1, 1-0 ACC) had lost eight straight and 15 of 16 meetings to the Tigers, which included at least one painfully close loss that fueled a bit of Murphy's Law-level pessimism - locals know it by an expletive-featuring nickname - among Wolfpack fans. No more, at least not for ninth-year coach Dave Doeren after his first win against a top-10 team. "The curse is broken, N.C. State fans, finally," Doeren chuckled. "I've been here nine years and seen a lot of crazy stuff. And people have talked about it and didn't believe it. But I've got to tell you: I think it was real, and it's not there anymore. So we can move on now and be happy about that." Devin Leary threw for four touchdowns, including the winning 22-yard pass to Devin Carter - who made a twisting adjustment to the back-shoulder throw and got both knees down inside the back right corner of the end zone for the lead to start the second OT. - North Carolina State/AP College Football

rSr/2024