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Zach Collaros scrambled for two touchdowns and threw for two more, and Cincinnati's turnover-forcing defense got three more of them Thursday night, helping the Bearcats pull away to a 44-14 victory over North Carolina State.
The Bearcats (3-1) put together one of their most complete wins in coach Butch Jones' two seasons, taking full advantage of an injury-depleted defense.
N.C. State (2-2) couldn't keep up with Collaros, who repeatedly scrambled away from pressure and made pinpoint throws on the run. He ran 13 and 10 yards for touchdowns, and hooked up with running back Isaiah Pead on a 25-yard screen pass for another score. Pead ran for 167 yards and scored twice.
The Wolfpack's Mike Glennon threw touchdown passes of 87 and 49 yards to T.J. Graham, but had two interceptions that set up early Cincinnati touchdowns and set the tone.
The two-game series finished in a split -- the Wolfpack won 30-19 in Raleigh last year. The rematch was a telling moment for teams with questions about their defenses.
Cincinnati got rattled during a 45-23 loss at Tennessee, then rebounded by returning a fumble and two interceptions for touchdowns during a 59-14 win over Akron last Saturday. The turnovers kept coming Thursday night.
Cincinnati scored on three consecutive possessions for a 21-0 lead against a Wolfpack defense depleted by injuries. Two touchdowns were set up by interceptions, a theme for Cincinnati this season.
The Bearcats have eight interceptions in four games and are among the nation's leaders in forcing turnovers -- 16 in all, scoring off 13 of them.
Glennon had a rough time, getting sacked five times. He also fumbled a snap in shotgun formation, scuttling a drive late in the first half. He finished 25 of 36 for 334 yards, getting a lot of yards but few points.
Glennon's ninth pass was off-target and intercepted by safety Drew Frey, setting up Pead's 2-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead.
Collaros led the Bearcats to their next touchdown, completing a 44-yard pass while scrambling away from pressure. A roughing-the-passer penalty on Darryl Cato-Bishop on third down kept the drive going. Two plays later, Collaros scrambled 13 yards for a 14-0 lead.
J.K. Schaffer's third interception of the season ended the Wolfpack's next possession and set up a 10-yard draw play by Collaros for a 21-0 lead. Collaros ran nine times for 52 yards overall, and completed 25 of 34 passes for 263 yards with one interception.
Graham got the Wolfpack going with another catch-and-run. He took a short pass, slipped away from Camerron Cheatham and ran 87 yards, cutting the lead to 21-7. Collaros and the Bearcats then pulled away.
Graham has scored on catches of 63, 67, 87 and 49 yards in the last three games, putting together three straight 100-yard receiving efforts.
The Wolfpack's already depleted defensive line took another hit when tackle Brian Slay hurt his right ankle early in the second quarter and had to be helped off the field. Reserve tackle A.J. Ferguson also had to leave the game with an injured right knee but later returned.
