Mack Brown and Dave Doeren met at midfield — exactly in the middle of the UNC logo — at Kenan Stadium as their teams warmed up. The two talked for roughly four minutes and embraced. N.C. State offensive coordinator Robert Anae pulled Brown aside for a brief talk.

The niceties between their teams ended there in what would end up a 35-30 N.C. State win after a thrilling back-and-forth fourth quarter.

N.C. State knew it didn’t earn the right to be part of the expanded College Football Playoff discussion this year, but it entered the game hoping to extend the season one more game and send Brown packing with a sour taste in his mouth after the UNC announced his termination on Tuesday.

“It’s about making more plays than them and fewer mistakes, and not getting too caught up in the emotions of the game; being emotional, but not letting the emotions control you,” N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren said on Monday.

It did that on Saturday. N.C. State planted the “Tuffy” flag at midfield — after UNC’s JJ Jones took it and threw it onto the Wolfpack sideline — which led to a scuffle after the game. And, every player on both teams was given unsportsmanlike penalties in the first half.

Ultimately, N.C. State pulled off the win over North Carolina and won its fourth-straight game against the Tar Heels.

“I know that seems weird to people, and I’m thankful that we won six and that we’re bowl eligible ... but beating Carolina mattered more,” Doeren said on Saturday. “When I got hired, they didn’t say, ‘Win six and go to a bowl.’ They said, ‘Whatever you do, beat Carolina.’ We did that for the fourth year in a row. That means a lot to me. It means a lot to our program.”

The Wolfpack jumped out to an early lead when the defense forced a turnover in the first quarter. N.C. State capitalized on the opportunity when running back Hollywood Smothers ran the ball in for a 2-yard touchdown and gave N.C. State a 7-0 lead.

It led the Tar Heels 7-6 at halftime after UNC’s Noah Burnette missed the point after touchdown. The two teams committed one turnover before the break after N.C. State quarterback CJ Bailey threw an interception and UNC’s Jacolby Criswell fumbled the football.

The offense came alive on both sides after the break, combining for 52 points. N.C. State scored on every drive of the second half, including the final drive of the game, when CJ Bailey found Noah Rogers for a 44-yard reception and 2-yard rushing touchdown by Hollywood Smothers.

Meanwhile, UNC scored on three second-half drives, including a career-high 75-yard touchdown by Omarion Hampton.

The Wolfpack trailed 30-29 with 1:51 remaining in the game. There were no doubts that the Pack could pull off the win.

“We told the defensive guys that we got them,” Bailey said. “’Don’t come to the sideline with your head down, because, shoot, we got you. We got y’all’s back like you had us in the first half. That’s how it is with NC State football.’ And, you know, we made plays for those guys. They made plays for us.”

Here are three takeaways from the in-state rivalry shootout.

NC State run game

The Wolfpack entered the season with excitement in its rush game weapons. It’s fallen short for most of the season, but it finally found success late in the season.

N.C. State finished with 242 rushing yards, the third-most of the season, for five yards per carry. It was the second-straight game with at least 200 rushing yards. That kept the team competitive when it couldn’t find rhythm through the air for most of the game.

Hollywood Smothers led the Wolfpack with 83 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns, including the game-winner with 25 seconds left. Bailey added 54 yards on 14 quarterback run plays.

“I thought our O-line dominated their D-line. Our tight ends are a part of that. Our backs ran really hard. Our wide outs were straining,” Doeren said. “It’s not the funnest game as a receiver at times when that’s what you’re doing, but it pays off over time.”

The Wolfpack offense was held to 105 rushing yards or fewer in six games this season. It was held under 50 yards two times.

N.C. State should be thanking its lucky stars it found gaps in the Carolina defense, because that kept it close with its rivals — even when the Tar Heels took a lead. Without that, it could’ve been a much different outcome.

“I thought Coach Anae and the offensive staff made some good adjustments at half time,” Doeren said. “In the second half, we didn’t punt. We scored every possession in the second half. When you do that, man, it’s fun.”

Jump-starting Criswell

It seemed like a questionable decision at the time, but Brown made it, believing it was the right one.

Boston College was putting it to the Heels last week, rolling up a 41-7 lead late in the game at Alumni Stadium. A lot of reserves were being ushered into the game by both teams, but Brown wanted quarterback Jacolby Criswell to stay in.

“Try to find some confidence,” Brown later said.

Criswell had thrown more than 150 passes without an interception until the BC game, He had three against the Eagles, including a pick-6 that went for 78 yards.

But Brown kept him in. The Tar Heels scored twice in the final six minutes of the game, and Brown said it might be just what Criswell needed going into the rivalry game against the Wolfpack.

Criswell, appearing rejuvenated Saturday, with touchdown passes of 50 yards to Chris Culliver and 17 yards to J.J. Jones. He had a better pocket presence and better mobility, even as the Pack mixed up its blitzes and pressures.

With the score tied 20-20 in the fourth, Criswell rolled right and found Culliver for a 46-yard gain to set up a go-ahead field by Noah Burnette.

Davin Vann makes presence felt early

With 3:00 remaining in the first quarter, defensive end Davin Vann sacked Criswell in the backfield for a loss of 9 yards and stripped the ball from his hands. Linebacker Sean Brown recovered.

The N.C. State offense capitalized on the other end with a touchdown. Through the first quarter, Vann had contributed three solo tackles in addition to the turnover.

“We talked about setting the tone,” Vann said after the game. “I wanted to set the tone early. (It) meant a lot to be able to start that and have the offense go down and score off of that play.”

Vann added two consecutive tackles on UNC’s sixth drive of the game, holding Hampton to net seven yards.

His efficiency was significant due to the Wolfpack’s thin secondary. It lost Bishop Fitzgerald and Brandon Cisse after the first half, and Aydan White did not play due to an undisclosed injury

The graduate student finished with six tackles, four solo, two tackles for loss, and the sack and forced fumble. He leads the nation in forced fumbles with six.