What they’re saying after NC State’s loss to Virginia Tech

NC State’s one-score victory luck ran out for the first time in 2025. The Wolfpack, needing just a field goal to knock off a reeling Virginia Tech squad, couldn’t get in position and ultimately fell 23-21 on Saturday night at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Here is what those who covered the game, including TheWolfpacker.com, are saying about the team’s second consecutive loss of the season.

Noah Fleischman, The Wolfpacker — How NC State QB CJ Bailey was sacked a season-most 5 times in loss to Virginia Tech

“You’ve got to give Virginia Tech credit, they won the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football in that game,” Doeren said. “That’s not indicative of our football team. It hasn’t been this year, but that was the tale of the game. CJ didn’t have time to throw in the first half.”

For Virginia Tech, the game plan was simple. Look to get Bailey as uncomfortable in the pocket as possible. He’s a quarterback who has proven he can throw on the run, but the Hokies were able to contain him by rallying defenders in waves to limit Bailey. 

In a way, he didn’t have an escape route to run away from Virginia Tech’s defenders. And it proved to be an effective strategy, one that the first four teams on NC State’s schedule — East Carolina, Virginia, Wake Forest and Duke — were unable to execute.

“Those guys up front, obviously, our defensive staff did a really good job of creating some opportunities with movement and different pressure packages and things that they installed this week for this, but those guys on the field go make it happen, right?” Virginia Tech interim coach Philip Montgomery said after the Hokies’ first win over an FBS team this season. 

“They went and executed at a really high level and they were tenacious about it, right?” Montgomery continued. “They were relentless about it and he [Bailey] got away from us a few times, but we got him a few times and that’s what we felt like we had to do — get him off the spot, get a bunch of guys around him, be relentless about it and try to keep him uncomfortable.”

Jacey Zembal, The Wolfpacker — NC State’s rushing defense gets gouged in loss to Virginia Tech

Stewart’s 85-yard run showcased NC State’s issues with missed tackling and at the safety position. Stewart slipped by senior middle linebacker Caden Fordham, and then both safeties had a shot at him — redshirt freshman Ronnie Royal and senior Jeremiah Johnson — both failed at bringing him down and redshirt sophomore cornerback Brian Nelson took a poor angle.

If not for the incredible hustle of senior defensive end Sabastian Harsh and redshirt freshman nickel Asaad Brown at the 4-yard line, he would have scored. 

“We had multiple guys there to tackle him, and didn’t get it done,” Doeren said. 

Virginia Tech scored on the next play with a 4-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Cameron Seldon, pushing the lead to 20-14 with 20 seconds left in the third quarter.

“At the end of the day, you gotta get the man on the ground,” Fordham said. “We’ve got to wrap up. We’re in the right position sometimes, but we’re not finishing the plays.”

The Stewart run didn’t win the game for the Hokies, but it symbolized it. 

Jadyn Watson-Fisher, News & Observer — Wolfpack wilt against Virginia Tech. What we learned from NC State’s ACC loss

While N.C. State’s offensive line hasn’t been perfect this season, it entered the game doing a decent job protecting Bailey from contact and opening up seams for the running attack. Virginia Tech’s defensive front won the line of scrimmage and significantly stifled the Wolfpack’s offensive efforts. 

Bailey jumped out to a strong start, completing his first 9 passes for 77 yards and 1 touchdown, but things unraveled in the second quarter. 

The Hokies went into halftime with a 13-7 lead, courtesy of 4 sacks, 5 tackles for loss and a quarterback pressure. All 4 sacks came in the second quarter. 

Additionally, the offensive line could not get the run game going in the first half. N.C. State ended the first half averaging 3.3 yards per rush, when adjusted for sacks. At one point, that number was as low as 2.4 yards per rush. Star running back Hollywood Smothers was held to 36 yards on 9 carries during that span.

The offensive line fared better in the second half, but it was still overpowered at times. 

Virginia Tech finished with 5 sacks, 8 tackles for loss and 2 quarterback hurries.

Rodd Baxley, Fayetteville Observer — What went wrong for NC State football in loss to Virginia Tech

After allowing 4 sacks across its first four games, the Wolfpack saw the Hokies rack up 5 sacks, including 3 on one drive in the first half that helped the visitors take a 13-7 halftime lead. Virginia Tech limited N.C. State to 59 rushing yards, and the Hokies piled up 229 yards on the ground. 

After averaging 31.5 points through four games, the Wolfpack were held to their lowest scoring output since a 29-19 loss to Duke in 2024. But one issue was mentioned above all others after the loss to Virginia Tech.

“We just didn’t tackle,” said N.C. State edge rusher Cian Slone, who added the postgame message was, “pretty much, we need to tackle” and “spread the message of tackling.” 

An emotional Caden Fordham, one of the Wolfpack’s senior captains, said “it’s simple” to understand what went wrong for the defense, which allowed 406 total yards and an average of 6.2 yards per play.

“At the end of the day,” Fordham said, “you gotta get the man on the ground.” 

Andy Bitter, Tech Sideline — Virginia Tech Holds Off NC State 23-21 For First ACC Win

RALEIGH, N.C. — Two games into his run as the Hokies’ interim coach, and Philip Montgomery already managed something Brent Pry almost never could. 

He won a one-score game.

John Love drilled a 49-yard field goal with 6:31 left, Virginia Tech’s defense clamped down (twice) and the Hokies managed to hold on, coming away with a gutsy 23-21 road victory against NC State at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday night to open ACC play.

Tech got a career-high 174 rushing yards from Terion Stewart, 2 touchdown passes from Kyron Drones and a spirited defensive effort to come from behind in the fourth quarter to get its first road win in nearly a year.

That’s two straight victories for the Hokies (2-3, 1-0 ACC) under Montgomery, who took over for Pry on an interim basis after Tech started the season 0-3. A big reason for Pry’s ouster? The coach’s 1-12 mark in one-score games, with eight straight losses in such situations.

That streak ended Saturday in a hard-fought victory against NC State (3-2, 1-2).