Pinkney wasn’t as sharp Saturday as he was in leading the Pirates to a 3-0 record to start the season. He threw for 210 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted once and also fumbled on ECU’s only possession in overtime when Wolfpack defensive end Shea McKeen came from the backside and sacked an unsuspecting Pinkney. The fumble eventually led to Andre Brown’s game-winning 10-yard touchdown.

It was a gritty win by NC State, who was led by freshman quarterback Russell Wilson, who was 21 of 31 passing for 210 yards and three touchdowns. Wilson’s five-yard touchdown pass to George Bryan with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth forced overtime.

The Pirates’ dramatic early-season wins over Virginia Tech and West Virginia must seem like a decade ago after suffering this loss. ECU’s schedule doesn’t give them a chance for redemption either, so their thin BCS title aspirations are now dashed. Still, the Pirates provided college football fans with plenty of excitement and if he continues to play as well as he has, Pinkney might have a future in the NFL (possibly as a receiver if teams won’t look at him as a quarterback).