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NC State gets signature victory over No. 8-ranked Georgia Tech, 48-36

2019_WP_Icon512x512by: The Wolfpacker11/02/25TheWolfpacker
Teddy Hoffmann
NC State freshman wide receiver Teddy Hoffmann came through with a big 55-yard touchdown during the Wolfpack's 48-36 win over No. 8-ranked Georgia Tech in Raleigh. (USA Today Sports photos)

By Jacey Zembal

NC State picked the right time at the right moment to revive its season.

NC State limped into its matchup against undefeated and No. 8-ranked Georgia Tech with bowl hopes starting to slip away and coach Dave Doeren getting asked about his future.

The Wolfpack responded with one of the top wins of Doeren’s 13-year tenure, crushing Georgia Tech 48-36 to improve to 5-4 and 2-3 in the ACC. The Wolfpack have next weekend off and then play at 6-2 Miami (Fla.) on Nov. 15.

Doeren recorded his second win over a top-10 team in his NC State career, with the victory over then No. 9 Clemson on Sept. 25, 2021, his other big upset.

“That was an amazing team effort,” Doeren said. “With the injuries we’ve had and the number of guys out in that game, we needed guys to really rise up.

“Our fan base tonight for this homecoming, it was an awesome crowd, and you guys were in it. Thank you for your support of these players. I am so proud of them and happy for them because it has been a tough year and they’ve been through a lot.”

Doeren said resiliency is what NC State is all about. Offensive line coach Garett Tujague, running backs coach Todd Goebbel and tight ends coach Gavin Locklear all had starters missing, but offensive coordinator Kurt Roper still came up with an impressive game plan to torch the Yellow Jackets’ defense for 583 total yards and 26 first downs.

“Sometimes the harder it gets, the better we are,” Doeren said. “We are going to enjoy this one tonight.

“Kids come to this program like they do to any program, to hope to have the opportunity to play. When it is your opportunity, you have to seize it.”

Doeren said the coaches weren’t going to let the players have a pity party.

“It is funny to me that people think we are going to quit,” Doeren said. “We don’t do that here, and it will never will be.

“I told them, it’s easy to look at problems and point fingers and blame people and all that, and we needed solutions. That is what I was asking for.”

NC State was able to get a measure of revenge in a role reversal that took 23 years.

Georgia Tech scored 15 fourth-quarter points to top then 9-0 NC State 24-17 on Nov. 2, 2002, at Carter-Finley Stadium. The loss led to a three-game losing streak that dashed the Wolfpack’s ACC championship hopes. The Wolfpack were ranked No. 10 at the time.

Georgia Tech entered Saturday night’s game at 8-0 and ranked No. 8 in the country, and NC State paid homage by leading the Yellow Jackets 24-17 at halftime. NC State sophomore quarterback C.J. Bailey played a game that 2002 quarterback Philip Rivers would have been proud of.

Bailey played without star redshirt sophomore running back Hollywood Smothers and star senior tight end Justin Joly, and he did a smooth and efficient job of spreading the ball around. Bailey went 16-of-22 passing for 215 yards and a touchdown, and ran four times for 28 yards and a score in the first half in building the spooky 24-17 lead at halftime this Halloween weekend.

“C.J. played like a captain, and he was in charge,” Doeren said. “The O-line protected him [one sack allowed]. Duke Scott had a phenomenal game rushing the ball. Our tight ends, that room they played without Justin, really stepped up and did more things than they normally do.”

Bailey proved to be in command from start to finish and added 340 passing yards and 2 touchdowns.

“I wasn’t playing to anything outside [the locker room] or what was going on outside our facilities,” Bailey said. “My leadership and confidence have been the same throughout the year. I’ve been leading the same way.

“It’s really great to get a win against a top-10 team. Going into the bye week, guys gotta rest. There’s a lot of guys that are beat up. We’ve got to just calm down, because we have another game coming up. We have Miami, and that’s the one that I really want.”

NC State’s defense had some struggles, but it also came alive just enough to limit the Yellow Jackets. One big stop was when Georgia Tech reached the NC State 36-yard line with 1:14 left in the second quarter.

The defense stiffened and senior linebacker Caden Fordham and redshirt freshman defensive end Chase Bond got sixth-year quarterback Haynes King for a nine-yard loss for a sack. GT kicker Aidan Birr missed the 54-yarder with 59 seconds left, and it opened the door for NCSU redshirt sophomore kicker Kanoah Vinesett to make a 34-yard field goal and 24-17 lead going into halftime.

The big nail in Georgia Tech’s coffin was leaving NC State freshman wide receiver Teddy Hoffmann all alone, and he went 55 yards for a touchdown to give the Wolfpack a commanding 38-23 lead with 2:49 left in the third quarter.

Fordham finished with a team-high 15 tackles and an interception at the end. Redshirt junior outside linebacker Kenny Soares had 14 stops and both redshirt freshman nickel Asaad Brown and senior outside linebacker Cian Slone tallied 10 tackles apiece.

“It is a really neat group of kids, and I’m really thankful for them that they get to enjoy that,” Doeren said. “It’s special to get a top-10 win at home, Night games in the Carter-Finley are so special.”