NC State Hands Georgia Tech First Loss Of Season
Sometimes college football serves up exactly the kind of chaos that makes you remember why you fell in love with this beautiful, unpredictable sport. Saturday night at Carter-Finley Stadium was one of those nights, as NC State delivered a haymaker that nobody saw coming, stunning No. 8 Georgia Tech 48-36 and sending Yellow Jackets fans searching for answers in their bourbon.
The Wolfpack entered this game limping. They were 4-4 overall, riding a two-game skid, and frankly looked like a team that Head Coach Dave Doeren might be packing boxes for come December. Meanwhile, Georgia Tech rolled into Raleigh riding high with an 8-0 record—their best start since Lyndon Johnson was president back in 1966.
But that’s why they play the games.
NC State’s Offensive Explosion Changes Everything
What unfolded was a masterclass in offensive execution from a Wolfpack team that apparently decided to save its best performance for when they needed it most. CJ Bailey, who’s been solid but not spectacular this season, picked the perfect time to have his coming-out party. The quarterback carved up Georgia Tech’s defense for 340 passing yards and two touchdowns while adding another score on the ground.
But Bailey wasn’t flying solo in this aerial circus. The ground game, missing injured ACC rushing leader Hollywood Smothers, got a career performance from Duke Scott. The running back exploded for 196 yards and delivered the knockout punch with a 30-yard touchdown scamper around the left side with just over four minutes remaining.
When the dust settled, NC State had racked up 583 total yards against a Georgia Tech defense that had been playing pretty solid football up to this point. That’s the kind of yardage total that makes offensive coordinators wake up in cold sweats.
Georgia Tech’s High-Powered Attack Couldn’t Keep Pace
Give credit where it’s due—Georgia Tech didn’t go quietly into that Raleigh night. Haynes King, who’s been having a phenomenal season, threw for 408 yards and two touchdowns while adding 103 rushing yards and two more scores on the ground. That’s 511 yards of total offense from one player, which in most games would be enough to win by three touchdowns.
But this wasn’t most games. King and the Yellow Jackets found themselves in an old-fashioned shootout, and when the bullets stopped flying, they were on the wrong end of the scoreboard. The 48 points allowed were the most Georgia Tech had given up since Ole Miss hung 48 on them back in 2023.
The Momentum Swings That Defined the Game
The first half was a back-and-forth affair that had the feel of a heavyweight boxing match. Bailey got NC State on the board first with a 5-yard touchdown pass, but King answered right back with a 12-yard rushing score. The lead changed hands multiple times before the Wolfpack took a 24-17 advantage into halftime.
The third quarter is where things got really interesting. Georgia Tech cut the deficit to four points early, but NC State had an answer every time. Will Wilson punched in a 1-yard touchdown, and then Bailey found Teddy Hoffmann for a gorgeous 55-yard touchdown strike that had Carter-Finley Stadium rocking.
The Final Nail In the Coffin
With the game hanging in the balance in the fourth quarter, NC State’s defense did something they hadn’t done all game—they forced a punt. It was Georgia Tech’s only punt of the entire contest, which tells you everything you need to know about how this game was played.
That defensive stop set up Scott’s game-clinching 30-yard touchdown run. The Wolfpack faithful didn’t wait for the final whistle—they stormed the field in celebration of what has to be considered one of the biggest upsets of the college football season.
What This Means Moving Forward
For NC State, this victory is more than just a win—it’s validation. It’s their first victory over a top-10 opponent since they beat North Carolina back in 2022, and it might just save Doeren’s job. Sometimes one magical night can change everything, and Saturday felt like one of those nights in Raleigh.
For Georgia Tech, this is a gut-punch that nobody saw coming. They entered the game sharing the ACC lead with No. 15 Virginia, and now they’re looking up at teams they thought they’d left in the rearview mirror. The good news? In college football, you get to prove yourself again next week.
In a sport where chaos reigns supreme and upsets happen when you least expect them, NC State reminded us all why we can’t look away. Sometimes the best stories are the ones nobody sees coming.
