NC State doesn’t quit, beating Georgia Tech and saying ‘We don’t do that here’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- NC State rallied through injuries and depth issues to upset No. 8 Georgia Tech.
- Duke Scott and supporting receivers produced a 243-yard rushing and balanced attack.
- Defense forced field goal tries, delivered tackles, but allowed 559 total yards.
Twenty-three years ago, almost to the day, Georgia Tech knocked off undefeated N.C. State at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Wolfpack, led by Phillip Rivers, was 9-0 and ranked No. 10 in the nation. The Yellow Jackets stunned the home team with a 24-17 defeat.
It’s taken two decades, and most of the roster wasn’t alive yet, but N.C. State finally returned the favor. And it did it when least expected.
Beat up, bruised and missing more than a dozen players, the Wolfpack put together arguably its best performance of the season to knock off No. 8 Georgia Tech, 48-36. The Yellow Jackets were a team that was 8-0 entering the evening and one of the favorites to represent the ACC in the College Football Playoff.
There are numerous stories that can be told about the game, but they all tie together in a singular message: Hard. Tough. Together.
N.C. State chose that motto for a reason; to be a rallying cry and describe the expectation for the program. The team hasn’t always lived up to that, but it did on Saturday, with every phase of the team providing positive outcomes.
After the win, head coach Dave Doeren recognized his players and the fans who attended the game. It was a team effort, he said, and that included everyone who supported the program.
“There’s a lot of people out there that have quit on us,” Doeren said. “For those of you that came tonight, you didn’t. Thank you for your support for these players. I’m so proud of them and happy for them, because it’s been a tough year. We’ve been through a lot, and definitely have some games that we could have won and didn’t, and hung in there together.”
Offense shines in upset victory
The Wolfpack’s 48 points were the most allowed by the Yellow Jackets this season, and the team did it without two key starters.
Tight end Justin Joly and running back Hollywood Smothers did not play due to injuries. Joly suffered a hamstring injury against Pittsburgh and Smothers was dealing with an ankle injury.
Smothers is the ACC’s leading rusher with 825 yards this season and has scored six touchdowns. As a receiver, he contributed 170 receiving yards and one score. Meanwhile, Joly has 365 yards and five touchdowns this fall.
In their spots, running back Duke Scott and tight ends Cody Hardy and Dante Daniels helped lift the offense.
Listed at 5-10 and 215 pounds, Scott powered his way past Georgia Tech, which ranks No. 15 in the ACC for run defense. It averaged 155.3 yards allowed per game. Scott, from Stockbridge, Georgia, blew past that with 196 rushing yards and one touchdown, becoming just the third player in the Doeren era to rush for at least 176 yards in a single game and ranks No. 11 in program history.
Nyheim Hines matched Scott’s total against North Carolina in 2017 and Reggie Gallaspy racked up 220 against East Carolina a season later.
As a team, the Pack finished with 243 rushing yards. Scott’s huge night came from sheer toughness and the ability to fall forward on plays. That means even if he doesn’t make the first down, he is generally still making gains. Scott was only tackled for a loss of two yards in the victory.
CJ Bailey, who threw for 340 yards and two scores, said he’s not surprised by the young back’s breakout performance. Bailey witnessed Scott’s development since the two stepped on campus last year and knows how hard his teammate works.
“When Hollywood went down, he took it upon himself to have a great day and how the world who he is,” Bailey said. “I’m proud of him.”
The redshirt freshman’s performance included a 69-yard rush, narrowly missing out on another touchdown, and 11 yards receiving.
“He just told me to be calm, be patient and don’t try to hit the home run, because it’s going to come and it’s going to come and it will develop itself,” Scott said, describing Smothers’ pregame advice. “The funny thing is, right before I ran the 72 yards [sic], he was like, ‘Hey, this is the one. I feel it.’ Sure enough, it popped open.”
Meanwhile, the two tight ends went 5 for 5 on catches for 67 yards, despite rarely having plays called for them. Hardy scored his second touchdown as a Wolfpack player in the first quarter. Will Wilson was called for a fumble in the end zone, despite the ball breaking the plane and officials signaling it as a touchdown. Hardy, however, recovered the football to ensure N.C. State received credit for scoring.
“The tight ends, that room, the way they played without Justin, really stepped up and had to do more things than they normally do was impressive,” Doeren said.
Not to be forgotten were the offensive line and N.C. State’s wide receiver corps. The o-line gave Bailey time to throw and opened up seams for the run game, while the four receivers had at least 49 yards.
“Our mindset of offense was to try to score every drive, every time we touched the ball,” Bailey said. “That’s that was the mindset throughout the whole week. That was our plan.”
Defense and special teams deserve props, too
The defense still has plenty to work on, but Caden Fordham, Kenny Soares, Cian Slone and Asaad Brown all finished with at least 10 tackles. It was disruptive and made plays when it mattered. The Pack gave up 559 yards and way too many explosive plays, but it also forced the Yellow Jackets to attempt four field goals. They went 3 of 4.
N.C. State also held Georgia Tech to 151 rushing yards, nearly 79 yards under its season average. For a very injured defense that’s still missing a large chunk of the primary rotation, including Sean Brown, pulling off the win is worth celebrating.
Finally, Wolfpack kicker Kanoah Vinesett was perfect on PATs and field goals.
N.C. State finally put together a performance it could be pleased with, and there was a little redemption from the loss back in 2002.
“It’s funny to me that people think we’re going to quit and we’re going to do this,” Doeren said. “We don’t do that here. It’s not a part of this program, and it never will be. Each kid that gets an opportunity, it’s his moment, and it’s fun to see them seize those moments in a game like this.”
This story was originally published November 2, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
