Trayveon Williams' 3 TDs Lead Texas A&M to Win Over NC State in 2018 Gator Bowl

The No. 19 Texas A&M Aggies ended 2018 with a 52-13 win over the NC State Wolfpack in the Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida.

Texas A&M finished the season with a 9-4 mark and ended its three-game bowl losing streak in its first bowl game under head coach Jimbo Fisher.

NC State squandered its opportunity to win double-digit games for the first time since 2002 and finished 9-4 for the second consecutive campaign.

The Aggies ran wild on the Wolfpack with 401 rushing yards as a team with running back Trayveon Williams and quarterback Kellen Mond leading the way.

In what was likely his final collegiate game, Williams racked up a Gator Bowl record 236 yards on the ground and three touchdowns on 19 carries.

Meanwhile, Mond had some success with his arms and his legs, as he finished with 140 yards, one touchdown and one interception through the air to go along with 85 rushing yards and a rushing score on just five carries.

Many eyes were on NC State senior quarterback Ryan Finley as he looked to position himself to be a high draft pick in what appears to be a somewhat mediocre 2019 quarterback class.

Finley failed to separate himself from the field, though, as he threw for just 139 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Finley was without his top wide receiver in Kelvin Harmon, who decided to sit out the Gator Bowl in order to prepare for the 2019 NFL draft.

After jumping out to a 13-7 lead during the early part of the second quarter, NC State faded and failed to keep pace with Texas A&M's explosive rushing attack down the stretch.

The Wolfpack fell behind early, as Mond ran for a 62-yard touchdown on just the second play from scrimmage to put A&M up 7-0.

NC State bounced back with 13 unanswered points, including a nine-yard touchdown pass from Finley to wide receiver C.J. Riley.

The touchdown was scored on a short field after Mond had his pass deflected at the line of scrimmage and then intercepted senior defensive tackle Eurndraus Bryant.

Mond was struggling to throw the ball following his long touchdown run, which prompted Joshua Beard of Sports Radio 610 to criticize the sophomore's skills as a passer:

Despite NC State having all the momentum on its side, Mond and the Texas A&M offense turned things around during the second quarter.

The Aggies took a 14-13 lead on a two-yard touchdown run by Williams after he set himself up with a 30-yard run one play earlier:

That run impressed Evan Closky of KENS 5, who views Williams as a potentially special NFL prospect:

The Aggies weren't done yet, as Mond and Williams took control on their next drive, which ended with a six-yard touchdown pass from Mond to Kendrick Rogers with 32 seconds left in the half.

Texas A&M held a 21-13 lead at the break, and Justin Rowland of Rivals pointed out that the Wolfpack appeared destined for disappointment against another SEC opponent:

NC State got the ball to start the half and had a chance to drive for the tying score, but Finley ran into more trouble.

With the Wolfpack nearing the red zone, Finley was picked off by Tyrel Dodson, who returned it 78 yards for a touchdown.

Bryan Fischer of College Football Talk mentioned the disappointing end to what was largely a productive college career for Finley:

After that, Williams took over the game and imposed his will on the NC State defense.

He rushed for a 17-yard touchdown in the third quarter and followed that up with a 93-yard touchdown scamper early in the fourth:

That run allowed Williams to set the Texas A&M single-season record for rushing yards that was previously held by Darren Lewis with 1,692 yards in 1988.

Williams' third rushing touchdown of the game extended Texas A&M's lead to 42-13 and entered the once-competitive contest into blowout territory.

The score became even more one-sided with a field goal and then a 13-yard touchdown run by Aggies fullback Cullen Gillaspia.

While Fisher will likely have to replace Williams in his backfield next season, he has a quality offensive building block in Mond and a chance to take another step forward after ending the 2018 campaign on a high note.