RALEIGH, N.C. - T.A. McLendon rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns and Lamont Reid scored two touchdowns on special teams to lead No. 17 North Carolina State past Massachusetts 56-24 on Saturday. <br>
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N.C. State (6-0) is off to its best start since 1991, and improved to 17-1 against non-conference opponents under coach Chuck Amato. The Div. I-AA Minutemen (2-2) fell to 8-14 against I-A foes. <br>
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McLendon, the prep record-holder with 170 career rushing touchdowns, scored his 10th touchdown of the year on a 3-yard run early in the fourth quarter. He also had five catches for 37 yards. <br>
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Philip Rivers threw for 227 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions before being pulled in the third period. <br>
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Reid, meanwhile, scored on a 97-yard kickoff return just before halftime and a 15-yard blocked punt return in the fourth quarter. <br>
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The Wolfpack overwhelmed the Minutemen early in a penalty-laden first half, scoring on its first four possessions for a 28-0 lead early in the second quarter. <br>
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The Minutemen never seriously challenged. They pulled to within 35-17 when Doran Davis intercepted a batted pass from Philip Rivers and returned it 58 yards for the score early in the third quarter. <br>
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The Wolfpack answered with touchdown drives on its next two possessions, the second ending with McLendon's run. <br>
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After N.C. State's defense forced Massachusetts to punt on its next possession, Manny Lawson burst through the middle of the line and blocked David Sanger's attempt. Reid picked the ball up on the bounce and raced in for the score. <br>
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The Wolfpack, which had outscored opponents 117-28 in the first half this season, scored on its second offensive play, getting an 18-yard touchdown run from McLendon with 13:24 in the first quarter. It was the fifth straight game that the Wolfpack had scored on its opening possession. <br>
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Meanwhile, N.C. State's defense harassed Jeff Krohn early, intercepting him on the Minutemen's first two possessions to set up scoring drives. <br>
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After Greg Golden's interception ended the Minutemen's second possession, Rivers connected with Jerricho Cotchery from 4 yards out to end a 58-yard scoring drive with 8:49 left in the first quarter. That drive was aided by a 15-yard penalty for roughing the passer on third down, as the Minutemen were penalized nine times for 81 yards in the half. <br>
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Rivers directed TD drives of 97 and 80 yards on the Wolfpack's next two possessions, ending with a 4-yard scoring pass to Dovonte Edwards and a 15-yard toss to Chris Murray for a 28-0 lead with 12:10 left before halftime. <br>
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Massachusetts got on the board after a fumble by Sterling Hicks, scoring on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Krohn to Adrian Zullo with 9:03 left before halftime. <br>
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After a 28-yard field goal by Doug White made it 28-10 late in the period, Reid returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for the score and a 35-10 halftime lead.
