RALEIGH, N.C. -- Fullback Jaylen Samuels scored three touchdowns, running back Matt Dayes had two touchdown runs and quarterback Jacoby Brissett was nearly flawless throwing the ball as North Carolina State trounced Troy 49-21 in a season opener on Saturday night at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Dayes scored on runs of 1 yard and 30 yards on his way to 126 rushing yards on 24 carries. N.C. State was unfazed by the absence of running back Shadrach Thornton, who led the team in rushing last year and sat out the first of a two-game, team-related suspension.

Samuels had scoring runs of 14, 3 and 3 yards among his four total carries.

Brissett completed 18 of his first 19 passes and ended up 21 of 23 for 196 yards and two touchdowns.

The outcome ruined the head coaching debut for Troy's Neal Brown.

N.C. State scored on its first possession, which included a fourth-down pickup when Samuels ran 14 yards untouched for a touchdown.

Troy responded by driving 75 yards for a touchdown on running back Jordan Chunn's 1-yard run.

N.C. State was back in front for good on Dayes' 1-yard run up the middle with 3:29 to play in the first quarter.

Troy went 82 yards in 20 seconds to score on Brandon Silvers' 37-yard pass to receiver Bryan Holmes with one second left in the first half. The Trojans trailed 28-14 at halftime.

Troy running back Brandon Burks, who racked up 124 rushing yards on 14 attempts, added a 57-yard touchdown run after N.C. State's first touchdown of the third quarter.