Live updates: No. 24 NC State football leads Western Carolina, 31-21, in fourth quarter

no 24 NC State kicks off the 2024 football season on Thursday evening at Carter Finley Stadium against Western Carolina the wolf pack looks forward to showing off its revamped offense led by quarterback Grayson McCall while the defense hopes to show it can compete without former All-American linebacker Peyton Wilson this is the seventh meeting between the two teams NC State is undefeated in the series with its most recent win taking place in 2019 the wolf Pack's most iconic win over the catamounts took place in 1990 when NC State won 67 to zero and did not give up a first down Jordan Waters sevenard touchdown run bouncing off Western Carolina Defenders along the way gave NC State a 31-21 lead over wcu with 632 to play it's the first touchdown of the season for Waters who transferred to NC State after leading Duke in rushing yards last season 819 yards 12 touchdowns Casey conceps own's third touchdown catch this one covering 35 yards off a pass from Grayson McCall gave NC State a 24-21 lead over Western Carolina with 1445 to play the catamounts added another touchdown to the stat sheet after Branson Adams rushed for 17 yards Western Carolina took a 21-7 lead the most points scored by the FCS team in Series history previously the wolf pack had given up a series High 20 points in 2003 Place kicker kenoa vinet successfully kicked a 46-yard field goal in the third quarter giving NC State its first first lead of the game vineet's field goal ended a 14 play 39 yd drive that took 652 off the clock wide receiver casy concepion scored his second touchdown of the game on a 5-yard pass from M concepion score came after a 43 yd touchdown pass was waved off due to a penalty the sophomore hauled in two receptions for 23 yards on the drive WC quarterback Cole Gonzalez threw a 12yd pass to AJ Columbo for the second catamounts touchdown of the game Gonzalez put his team in the Red Zone after running for 50 yards the catamounts took a 14 to7 lead over the wolf pack the most points scored by wcu since 2003 after two less than Stellar drives NC State's offense found a rhythm on the third and turned the momentum into points Mall found concepion in the end zone for a 17- yd touchdown pass receivers Noah Rogers and Wesley Grimes and running back Kendrick rafhael all recorded gains of at least 10 yards Mcall threw an interception on the second Drive of the game which Catamount cornerback Ken Moore returned the ball for 51 yards on the subsequent play Gonzalez found tight end Jake young in the end zone for an 8-y touchdown pass linebacker Kaden forom was ejected for targeting on the first drive of the game he collided with wcu quarterback Cole Gonzalez as he slid to end a run in forum's limited appearance he recorded a tackle and pass breakup on the opening play forom was tabed as one of NC State's replacements for Wilson kickoff was delayed until 7 :32 p.m. due to lightning strikes within 8 miles of Carter Finley Stadium it was originally set for 700 p.m. pregame warm-ups and fan entry to the stadium were stopped at 553 fans already in the stadium were required to take shelter