KC Concepcion stars as NC State football steamrolls UNC in regular ...

RALEIGH – A season after planting a flag at Kenan Stadium, NC State football steamrolled UNC at Carter-Finley Stadium. 

KC Concepcion was a red blur as he and the Wolfpack raced by the Tar Heels in a 39-20 rout in Raleigh. Veteran linebacker Payton Wilson had 15 tackles and an interception, and the Wolfpack (9-3, 6-2 ACC) scored on its first eight drives against UNC (8-4, 4-4) en route to ending the regular season with five wins in a row. 

"If you want to have culture, come to Raleigh," Wilson said in a postgame interview with ACC Network's Taylor Tannebaum. "The boys in blue don't know about it."

With a bowl game next on the schedule, NC State will have a chance to end a season with 10 wins for the second time in program history. The Wolfpack has won six of the last eight against UNC, including three in a row. 

“I think it’s been one heck of a five-week window. … It was a statement win, I think," NC State coach Dave Doeren said.

In the first half, NC State quarterback Brennan Armstrong completed 16-of-24 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns to continue his tear since retaking the reins as the Wolfpack’s starting quarterback. The Virginia transfer completed 69.9% of his passes and combined for six TDs in wins against Wake Forest and Virginia Tech.

Doeren said Armstrong "didn't throw a ball all week" and Wilson said Armstrong was playing with a "damn near broken rib." Despite Armstrong's injury, he finished with 334 passing yards and completed 71% of his passes against the Tar Heels.

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At one point in the first half, KC Concepcion had 53 yards, UNC had 47 yards and Drake Maye hadn’t completed a pass. It was that kind of start for the Wolfpack, which scored on each of its first six drives to carry a 26-7 lead into halftime.

Concepcion accounted for 105 yards – including six catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns – in the first half to help the Wolfpack pounce on the Tar Heels from the start. The freshman star finished with 186 yards, including seven catches for 131 yards. 

“KC’s an insane player," Armstrong said. "I’ve never seen a true freshman like him before."

UNC quarterback Drake Maye injured his ankle and briefly exited the game in the fourth quarter. It was a rough night for Maye, whose white jersey was covered with grass stains. On UNC's first five drives, Maye completed 1-of-7 passes for 3 yards and had a fumble. Maye – who was consistently under pressure and in third-and-long situations – finally got going on the Tar Heels’ final drive of the second quarter as he completed 5-of-5 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown to help UNC avoid a first-half shutout. Maye accounted for 360 yards, three touchdowns and three turnovers.  

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.