Leary throws 2 TDs, No. 23 NC State holds off Louisiana Tech

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Devin Leary threw for two touchdowns and No. 23 North Carolina State held off Louisiana Tech 34-27 on Saturday night.

Louisiana Tech picked up five first downs on its last possession, reaching the N.C. State 22-yard line before Jakeen Harris' interception in the end zone on the game's final play.

That allowed N.C. State to build on an upset of Clemson from a week earlier and improve to 4-1 for the second year in a row.

Leary was 22 for 36 for 251 yards. Running backs Ricky Person (90 yards) and Zonovan Knight (85) each ran for a touchdown.

Louisiana Tech quarterback Austin Kendall finished 25 for 40 for 328 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Person's tackle-dodging, 24-yard touchdown run in the third quarter helped N.C. State break open a tight game.

Kendall's 23-yard strike to Bub Means with 12:10 left allowed the Bulldogs (2-3) to pull within 27-20.

N.C. State followed with a six-play, 72-yard drive that concluded with Knight's 4-yard scoring run.

Kendall struck again when Griffin Herbert plowed into the end zone to complete a 14-yard pass play as Louisiana Tech made it 34-27 with 4:43 to play.

THE TAKEAWAY

Louisiana Tech: The Bulldogs' first two losses of the season came by a combined three points and they were in another close defeat this time. Louisiana Tech is 4-48 all-time against Top 25 opponents.

N.C. State: The Wolfpack are 4-0 in home games this year, but the last two victory have come down to needing a defensive stop on the final play. Last week, it was a double-overtime upset of Clemson.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

N.C. State is likely to hold steady, especially until it wins a road game and it will have two such assignments later this month.

UP NEXT

Louisiana Tech: Oct. 16 at UTEP

N.C. State: Oct. 16 at Boston College