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NC State football vs. Wake Forest: Final score, recap, highlights from Top 25 battle

NC State football regained its momentum last week with a 22-21 comeback win against Virginia Tech thanks to the emergence of true freshman quarterback MJ Morris.

Now things get interesting.

The No. 21 Wolfpack (6-2, 2-2 ACC) look to extend a 15-game home win streak on Saturday (8 p.m., ACC Network) when they host No. 20 Wake Forest (6-2, 2-2) in a game that will go a long way in deciding both teams' postseason bowl fates next month.

More:NC State football vs. Wake Forest: Scouting report and score prediction

The Demon Deacons were ranked in the top 10 last week before a shocking 48-21 loss to Louisville handed them their second divisional loss. NC State owns a 67-42-6 series advantage, but Wake Forest has won four out of the past five, including 45-42 last year in Winston-Salem.

NC State football score vs. Wake Forest: Live updates

PREGAME

NC State true freshman MJ Morris gets his first career start on homecoming against Wake Forest. He's the first freshman to start at QB for the Pack since Philip Rivers.

The Demon Deacons are a 3-point favorite.

FIRST QUARTER

12:18 — INTERCEPTION! NC State's Jakeen Harris picks off Sam Hartman's pass and returns it 24 yards to the Wake 44.

8:04 — FIELD GOAL WOLFPACK! Chris Dunn's 33-yard field-goal attempt hit the upright but stayed good. NC State 3, Wake Forest 0

4:50 — Isaiah Moore bats down a pass on third down and Thomas Thayer fair catches the punt at the Wolfpack 7, where NC State will start its next drive. The Pack defense is off to a strong start.

2:31 — NC State goes three-and-out and Wake gets good field position with an 8-yard return of the 39-yard punt. The Deacs will start on NC State's 32-yard line.

0:00 — SACK! Moore comes up with another big play for the Pack, this time sacking Hartman in the red zone on third-and-8 for a 9-yard loss. Wake had reached the 1-yard line but NC State came up with three straight negative plays on defense to push the Deacs back to the 16. Wake has -11 yards rushing so far in the game.

SECOND QUARTER

14:56 — Matthew Dennis missed a 35-yard field-goal attempt for Wake.

14:19 — NC State's Caden Noonkester's punt goes 55 yards to Wake's 25 after the Wolfpack offense goes three-and-out with two incompletions and a Demie Sumo-Karngbaye run that was stopped at the line of scrimmage.

10:19 — TOUCHDOWN DEACS! Christian Turner scores on a 2-yard run set up by a pass interference penalty. The drive went 75 yards on 10 plays in 4 minutes. Hartman completed four passes for 45 yards on the drive, and Turner had five carries for 23 yards. Wake Forest 7, NC State 3

10:05 — Wake's Kobie Turner bats down a pass attempt. The Wolfpack has mustered only 24 yards of offense.

9:11 — Keyon Lesane lays out for a 44-yard catch on third-and-13 for NC State.

7:39 — TOUCHDOWN PACK! Lesane makes another huge play, holding onto the ball through a wallop at the goal line to score on a 12-yard reception. Jordan Houston's 16-yard rush set up the scoring play. NC State 10, Wake Forest 7

4:11 — TOUCHDOWN DEACS! Taylor Morin makes a diving catch in the end zone for a 24-yard TD reception to cap an eight-play, 75-yard drive. The touchdown pass is No. 95 for Hartman, tying him with NC State alum and NFL great Philip Rivers at No. 2 on the list of ACC career passing TD leaders. Clemson's Tajh Boyd is No. 1 with 107. Wake Forest 14, NC State 10

1:30 — TOUCHDOWN PACK! Maryland transfer Darryl Jones snags a 13-yard pass from Morris to cap an eight-play, 64-yard drive. NC State 17, Wake Forest 14

1:06 — Wake goes three-and-out and NC State gets the ball back on its 30 after the punt.

HALFTIME: NC STATE 17, WAKE FOREST 14

Wake Forest has 206 total yards of offense (189 passing, 17 rushing) compared to NC State's 149 (103 passing, 46 rushing).

A.T. Perry is Wake's leading receiver with 70 yards on five catches. Christian Turner leads Wake with 26 yards rushing on six carries.

LeSane is NC State's leading receiver with 56 yards on two catches. Houston leads the Pack with 25 yards rushing on six carries.

The Wolfpack defense sacked Hartman three times in the first half as part of five tackles for loss. The Pack also had four pass breakups and an interception.

THIRD QUARTER

6:14 — TOUCHDOWN PACK! Jones scores on a 1-yard pass from Morris. The 15-play, 80-yard drive lasted 7:33 and included a 20-yard pass to Devin Carter that got NC State to the 2-yard line. Morris completed 6-of-8 passes for 59 yards on the drive. NC State 24, Wake Forest 14

2:01 — FIELD GOAL PACK! Christopher Dunn hits from 51 yards after Cyrus Fagan's interception and 20-yard return gave NC State the ball at the 50. NC State 27, Wake Forest 14

FOURTH QUARTER

14:55 — INTERCEPTION! NC State's Aydan White picks off Hartman's pass at the Wolfpack 27.

11:12 — NC State pins Wake on its 1-yard line after a 36-yard punt.

6:54 — TOUCHDOWN DEACS! Perry hauls in a 29-yard heave to the corner of the end zone as Wake completes a 99-yard drive that included a pair of fourth-down conversions. Hartman has thrown for 360 yards. NC State 27, Wake Forest 21

2:54 — FIELD GOAL PACK! Dunn's 25-yard field goal is good. NC State 30, Wake Forest 21

1:05 — NC State gets the fourth-down stop and forces a turnover on downs.

FINAL: NC STATE 30, WAKE FOREST 21

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This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NC State football vs. Wake Forest: Final score, recap, highlights