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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Russell Wilson threw for five touchdowns and 349 yards, both of them career highs.

N.C. State ran for 189 yards.

The Wolfpack scored 42 points.

And it still wasn't enough.

In a game that featured 1,100 yards of offense, Florida State was just a play or two better Saturday. Seminoles wide receiver Bert Reed took the ball on an end around and forced his way through the offensive line to score the winning touchdown with 1:36 left in the game as the Seminoles held on for a 45-42 homecoming win over N.C. State.

"(My players) are really dejected," N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien said. "We are like a wounded animal right now -- we are banged up, we are beat up but we fought our hearts out. ...

"We were one play way. They made the play when they had to and we didn't. You make a play and the story is different."

The Wolfpack (3-5, 0-4 ACC) lost its fourth consecutive game, but certainly had chances to pull out a win. Wilson's fifth touchdown pass -- and third of the day to Jarvis Williams -- gave N.C. State a 42-38 lead with 3:50 left in the game.

After FSU (4-4, 2-3) countered with Reed's touchdown, the Wolfpack drove to midfield, but was forced to call its last timeout with 23 seconds to go. Wilson was then sacked by linebacker Mister Alexander, and N.C. State raced to get the offense set and spike the ball with five seconds left. A desperation pass as time expired was intercepted at the goal line by Jamie Robinson.

"I saw it go in the end zone and I said, 'C'mon, c'mon, c'mon,' " Wilson said. "But it fell short. I was hoping for a Doug Flutie play or something."

O'Brien said Wilson's inexperience showed at times, but he still praised the sophomore quarterback for his performance.

"I thought he played really well," O'Brien said. "For what he did, I thought he was spectacular."

Wilson had his third 300-yard game of the season and has 3,963 yards passing in his brief career, good for ninth place on N.C. State's career list. Wilson also has 302 career completions, putting him in 10th place.

The teams traded touchdowns throughout the game, but N.C. State didn't lead until the game's final four minutes. Wilson repeatedly found holes in FSU's secondary, hitting Owen Spencer for an 80-yard touchdown in the first quarter and finding Spencer again on a 61-yard pass that set up a second-quarter touchdown. Spencer finished with five catches for 165 yards, while Ragsdale alumnus Toney Baker ran for 112 yards. Baker also caught three passes for 32 yards.

"Baker ran the ball really well," Wilson said. "I was wowed and amazed by his performance."

But the Wolfpack defense continued to struggle, having given up 30, 49, 52 and 45 points, respectively, in the last four losses.

N.C. State 7 14 7 14 -- 42

Florida State 7 14 10 14 -- 45

FSU--Thomas 4 run (Hopkins kick).

NCSU--Spencer 80 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick).

FSU--C.Thompson 6 run (Hopkins kick)

NCSU--Eugene 3 run (Czajkowski kick)

FSU--Thomas 54 run (Hopkins kick)

NCSU--Ja.Williams 7 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick)

FSU--Owens 6 pass from Ponder (Hopkins kick)

NCSU--Ja.Williams 6 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick)

FSU--FG Hopkins 24

FSU--C.Thompson 4 run (Hopkins kick)

NCSU--Bryan 29 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick)

NCSU--Ja.Williams 5 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick)

FSU--Reed 3 run (Hopkins kick)

A--67,712.

N.C. State Florida State

First downs 24 27

Rushes-Yards 38-189 33-278

Passing 349 277

Comp-Att-Int 20-31-2 26-40-2

Return yards 36 68

Punts-Avg. 4-38.8 3-38.3

Fumbles-Lost 1-1 1-0

Penalties-Yards 6-41 7-76

Time of possession 30:30 29:30

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--N.C. State, Baker 19-112, Eugene 10-41, R.Wilson 8-34, Howard 1-2. Florida State, Thomas 20-186, Reed 4-44, Ponder 4-29, C.Thompson 5-19.

PASSING--N.C. State, R.Wilson 20-30-2-349, Team 0-1-0-0. Florida State, Ponder 26-40-2-277.

RECEIVING--N.C. State, Spencer 5-165, Bryan 4-47, Baker 3-32, Ja.Williams 3-18, Davis 2-53, Bowens 2-35, Eugene 1-(minus 1). Florida State, Owens 7-56, Reed 6-66, Easterling 5-73, Fortson 4-43, Pryor 3-31, Reliford 1-8.