Instant observations: NC State's defense propels Wolfpack to second-half comeback win at Wake Forest, 34-24

By Noah Fleischman

WINSTON-SALEM — Wake Forest returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. A food truck outside on the Allegacy Stadium concourse caught fire, spilling white smoke all over the field. NC State defensive end Isaiah Shirley rumbled into the end zone on a 41-yard pick six.

The first quarter of the 116th straight meeting between NC State and Wake Forest had it all. While the game didn’t reach the same level of hecticness over the following 45 minutes, the Wolfpack was able to find a way to skate past the Demon Deacons 34-24 on Thursday night.

NC State’s come-from-behind victory marked the second such effort from the program, which was previously 10-49 while trailing at the half under Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren through his first 12 seasons in Raleigh. Instead of folding, the Pack was able to click on both offense and defense to win its ACC opener.

Sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey was 23-for-32 passing for 201 yards and 3 touchdowns, while redshirt sophomore running back Hollywood Smothers rushed for a career-best 163 yards on 24 attempts.

Here are three takeaways from the Wolfpack’s victory.

Shaky defense comes up when needed

NC State’s third-down defense hasn’t been stellar this season. It allowed Virginia to start 10-for-13 in the opening half last week, and although it appeared to clean it up in the second half, the woes returned at Wake Forest. 

The Demon Deacons converted their first six third-down conversion opportunities, which allowed the Wake Forest offense to move the ball at will against NC State’s defense and score on three of its first four drives with a pair of touchdowns and a field goal.

The Wolfpack defense eventually tightened up. The unit didn’t allow a third-down conversion from the end of the first half through the entirety of the fourth quarter, including a Travali Price sack to cap the fourth. 

While NC State’s defense appeared to put Wake Forest’s offense in check, the Wolfpack was able to score 17 unanswered points to play off that momentum. Complementary football has been a rare sight this season, with the offense carrying much of the load so far. However, the Pack was able to find it at the right time to post its second come-from-behind win of the season. 

In all, NC State’s defense held Wake Forest to just 44 second-half yards and one first down gained by its own doing.

Feed Hollywood, good things happen

It didn’t take long for NC State to figure out what worked to move the ball against Wake Forest’s defense: feed Smothers. 

The former Oklahoma transfer, an elusive back with an innate ability to find space, was able to run all over the Demon Deacons. He rushed for 85 yards on just 11 attempts in the first half and continued to roll after halftime, including a 42-yard carry to open the fourth quarter.

Smothers had never had back-to-back 100-yard games in his collegiate career, but he was able to accomplish the rare feat against the Big Four opponent. It marked the first time NC State had two straight 100-yard performances from any running back since Reggie Gallaspy II did it in the 2018 campaign (129 yards at UNC and 220 yards vs. ECU).

Penalties come back again…

After NC State’s season opener was marred by seven penalties for 53 yards, NC State coach Dave Doeren made it an emphasis to avoid the costly miscues. That seemed to work in the Pack’s Week 2 win over Virginia when the team was penalized just once — a defensive facemask. But it appeared that the Pack reverted to the mean at Wake Forest. 

NC State was called for 10 penalties for 94 yards in the game. One of the more costly gaffes appeared in the red zone. Wolfpack graduate defensive end Sabastian Harsh was called for offsides — the whole line moved into the neutral zone — which allowed Wake Forest to turn a third-and-8 into a third-and-3 from the NC State 8-yard line. 

It took the Demon Deacons just three plays to capitalize on it via an Ashford 1-yard touchdown carry to take a 7-point lead early in the second quarter. That penalty appeared to allow Wake Forest to take its first lead of the night — one it didn’t relinquish until midway through the third quarter.