Dylan Ribott
Head Coach Dave Doeren leans over while watching a rush play during the game against Virginia Tech on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. NC State lost to Virginia Tech 23-21.
Another night game at Carter-Finley, another mediocre performance from NC State as it fell to Virginia Tech 23-21 for the Hokies’ first Power Four win.
On both sides of the ball, the Wolfpack was hot and cold. When it needed to ignite, it froze in the headlights. With less than a minute to play and a chance to drive down the field and win, the Pack sputtered, closing the contest with a failed fourth-and-1 try.
NC State (3-2) couldn’t establish the run, recording just 1.8 yards per carry against a reeling Virginia Tech (2-3) squad. And as the offensive line struggled to run-block, it couldn’t stop the pass rush either, giving up five sacks. Up until tonight, the Pack had given up just four.
“It’s a game that if we execute and do the things that we should do, in my opinion, it’s a game we should win,” said head coach Dave Doeren. “And we didn’t get that done. … They showed up and they played with pride, they played hard, they beat us on the line of scrimmage, and we didn’t get it done.”
The Hokies fired former head coach Brent Pry on Sept. 14 after starting the season 0-3. Under interim head coach Philip Montgomery, they have seen a resurgence, stomping out Wofford 38-6 and before handling the Wolfpack on Saturday.
But even so, they came into the game shorthanded. The NCAA permits players to redshirt if they have not appeared in four or fewer games, and with the season on life support, many took that route. The Hokies’ sideline was visibly thin.
Of those who stayed, many seemed uninterested. Until the fourth quarter, half the team was sitting on the sideline away from the ball. Not watching film, not taking a rest. Just watching from afar, disassociated; an unusual sight in a sport where most sidelines are filled with energy.
But as the Wolfpack cooled off, the Hokies’ sideline came alive. Quarterback Kyron Drones at the helm kept things interesting, putting up 177 yards and two touchdowns. On the other side, sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey threw for 240 yards, going 26-of-34 with two touchdowns of his own.
With the game fairly even through the air, the battle was won on the ground.
Tech running back Terion Stewart broke for big play after big play, finishing with 174 rushing yards — almost triple his season output coming into the game — including an 85-yard rush to put the Hokies in the lead at the end of the third quarter. NC State’s tackling struggles aided Stewart’s campaign on the ground, including three misses on the long rush.
“At the end of the day, you gotta get the man on the ground,” said graduate linebacker Caden Fordham. “We’re in the right position sometimes, but we’re not finishing the plays. It starts with me. Everyone on our defense, but me first.”
Redshirt sophomore running back Hollywood Smothers has been one of the best rushers in the nation, and against the Hokies, his lack of presence was felt. Usually working in tandem with Bailey, neither could break free, as Smothers was held to just 67 yards.
Moving to 1-2 in conference play with the hardest stretch of the schedule still on the horizon, there is a long way to go before the season’s end. Doeren is embracing a positive mindset as the Pack fights through adversity.
“There’s seven more games that we get to play, and I say that we get to play and we get to live our lives one day at a time.”
NC State looks to rebound as it takes on Campbell (1-4) at 2 p.m. on ESPN+ next Saturday at Carter-Finley.