Lubbock, Texas ? If this was supposed to be a showcase for two of the nation’s best quarterbacks, no one told North Carolina State freshman T.A. McLendon.

The tailback’s school record-tying fifth rushing touchdown came from 8 yards out in overtime as the 17th-ranked Wolfpack defeated Texas Tech 51-48 Saturday.

“We thought he was pretty good but he played better than we probably thought he might,” Tech coach Mike Leach said.

McLendon finished with 150 yards on 32 carries, far surpassing his previous best this season of 79 yards against New Mexico. All of his TD runs were from inside 10 yards. He tied the school’s single-game touchdown mark, set in 1972 by Stan Fritts against Wake Forest.

The Wolfpack (5-0) allowed Texas Tech (2-2) to score four touchdowns in the fourth quarter, sending the game to overtime tied at 45. The Red Raiders got a 33-yard field goal from Robert Treece on their OT possession, but it was all McLendon on N.C. State’s drive.

“To score after all that went on in the fourth quarter, after a 38-10 lead, to go to overtime 45-45, that was amazing,” Wolfpack coach Chuck Amato said. “I have never seen anything like that. There was a lot of character on both sides of the field today.”

The Wolfpack improved to 5-0 for the first time since 1991.

In the anticipated quarterback matchup, N.C. State’s Philip Rivers passed for 301 yards but no touchdowns, while Tech’s Kliff Kingsbury threw for 273 yards and three TDs.

“We had our chances. It didn’t come down to one play. We made a bunch of mistakes,” Kingsbury said.

After tying the game with four minutes left in regulation, Tech had a chance to take the lead, but Treece missed a 39-yard field goal with less than a minute remaining.

North Carolina State appeared to have the victory wrapped up early in the third quarter when it scored twice within 22 seconds. McLendon ran in from the 1 on the Wolfpack’s opening drive of the period to take a 24-10 lead.

On the Red Raiders’ next series, Kingsbury fumbled the snap on the first play, and defensive end Shawn Price recovered and ran it back 35 yards to push the lead to 31-10.

McLendon’s third TD and a 38-10 Wolfpack lead came four plays after a punt return and a penalty landed them at the Tech 15.

A fumble by McLendon early in the fourth quarter came after Tech scored back-to-back touchdowns to shrink the lead to 38-24.

Tech drove 70 yards after the recovery and scored on a 5-yard pass from Kingsbury to Mickey Peters to make it 38-31.