NC State football missing offensive punch against Georgia Tech. Here’s who’s out
It’s been a tumultuous week — and season — for N.C. State football, with mounting injuries, tough losses and speculation about head coach Dave Doeren’s future. Things took another hit on Saturday.
The Wolfpack is facing No. 8 Georgia Tech on Saturday without the ACC’s leading rusher and its star tight end.
Justin Joly was spotted during warmups wearing a hoodie and his jersey. Hollywood Smothers did not participate during pregame activities. Doeren told ESPN reporters on Friday that Smothers had not practiced all week.
Two hours before kickoff, both players were listed on the ACC availability report as “game-time decisions.” Redshirt freshman running back Duke Scott warmed up with the starters on offense.
Smothers is one of the most productive members of the team, offense or defense, and leads the ACC with 825 yards rushing this season and 103.1 yards per game. The Charlotte native has scored six times, including a 65-yard rush last weekend against Pittsburgh.
Additionally, Smothers has provided 170 receiving yards and one touchdown.
Joly, who hobbled into the end zone for a touchdown last week, accounted for 365 receiving yards and five touchdowns in the first eight games of the year. The senior was injured on the scoring play at Pittsburgh.
He was in obvious pain for the last 20 to 25 yards of his 59-yard double-pass play reception. His teammates helped him off the field. After being evaluated by the training staff and performing minor rehab activities on the sideline, Joly returned in the second half. He finished with six receptions, 101 yards and two touchdowns.
Smothers and Joly were not the only notable players listed on the injury report. Safeties Ronnie Royal and JJ Johnson were also questionable for Saturday.
Royal contributed 41 tackles, one pass breakup and one interception in eight appearances this fall. Johnson has added 15 tackles and one pass deflection in seven games played.
Meanwhile, freshman offensive lineman Spike Sowells is also listed as unavailable. Three safeties, in addition to Royal and Johnson, remain out, as does linebacker Sean Brown.
The Wolfpack hosts one of the best offenses in the nation, led by Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King.
The senior leads the team in rushing yards (651), passing yards (1,480) and total offense (2,131). His rushing yards rank third in the ACC, behind N.C. State’s Smothers (825) and Louisville’s Isaac Brown (652).
As a team, the Yellow Jackets average 229.8 rushing yards per game, with King running for 93 yards per outing. The senior has run for 100 yards in four games and passed for 200 in five.
Additionally, the senior has scored 12 rushing touchdowns, an ACC high and second best in the country, and a team-leading seven passing touchdowns.
N.C. State has lost two straight games and four of its last five. It looks for its first ranked win since Nov. 25, 2022, when the team upset then-No. 18 North Carolina, 30-27, in double overtime at Kenan Stadium. The Wolfpack is listed as a 5.5-point underdog and given a 28.9% chance of winning.
This story was originally published October 31, 2025 at 8:39 PM.
