The NC State football team fell to 0-2 in the ACC for the third consecutive season with its 28-13 loss to Virginia Tech Friday night in Blacksburg, Virginia.
The Hokies (3-3, 1-1 ACC) used a 21-point second quarter to pull away from the Wolfpack (4-2, 0-2 ACC), which is now 0-2 in the month of October under head coach Dave Doeren.
“Disappointed is an understatement,” Doeren said following the loss. “Very disappointed in our second quarter. Their response was good, and ours wasn’t.”
Redshirt junior quarterback Brenden Motley found sophomore wide receiver Isaiah Ford three separate times in the second, giving Tech an 11-point advantage heading into the half.
“It’s like basketball when you can’t miss,” Ford said. “I couldn’t not get open, and Mot was finding me.”
The first of the Hokies’ second-quarter scores came on a 27-yard toss to the back corner of the end zone, one of five 10-plus-yard passes completed by Motley in the second.
Coming off his worst performance of the year against Pittsburgh, Motley rebounded against a shaky Wolfpack secondary, recording a passer rating of 132.8, the junior’s third-best of the season.
The Hokie quarterback was a late selection, as starter Michael Brewer was scratched from the lineup less than an hour before kickoff after suffering a broken collarbone against Ohio State in the season opener.
Sophomore linebacker Airius Moore identified his defense’s sloppiness on third down as a large factor in the team’s poor play.
“I just think we got a little undisciplined in how we were playing,” Moore said.
Penalties also hurt the Pack on defense, as the team committed nine fouls for 81 yards, five of which resulted in a first down for the Hokies.
Doeren attributed some of the penalties to inconsistency in calls across games.
“Some of that stuff is called in some games, in other games they aren’t,” Doeren said. “Pass interference has gotten pretty hard to understand. It’s nothing they’re doing wrong; there’s just no simple way it’s called from crew to crew.”
On the opposite side of the field, State quarterback Jacoby Brissett had an underwhelming performance, passing for just 113 yards with a 48 percent completion percentage, the senior’s season-low in both categories.
“I have to do a better job of getting the ball out of my hands faster, making more plays in the passing game,” Brissett said.
No Wolfpack wide receiver posted more than 30 yards on the day. Despite Brissett’s troubles, including his first interception of the season, Doeren said he had “complete faith” in his starter going forward.
“I’m not concerned,” Doeren said. “He’s a tough guy; he’s going to play hard.”
Junior running back Matt Dayes posted a season-low 66 yards on ground after breaking 100 yards in the team’s first four games.
Jaylen Samuels saw some touches at halfback, racking up 29 yards on three handoffs. Doeren said the sophomore just needed more experience on the field.
Before the team’s second-quarter collapse, State had all the momentum, scoring on two of its first three drives.
However, after taking the lead at the start of the second, seven of the Pack’s final nine drives lasted six plays or fewer.
“We have to do a better job of finishing,” Brissett said. “I have to find a way to make more plays in the passing and running game.”
With the last year’s 0-4 start to ACC play fresh on the team’s mind, Doeren emphasized the importance of the Pack’s upcoming bye week.
“We’ll sit down as a staff and look at everything we’ve done,” Doeren said afterward. “We’ll look at us first. We’ll bring the kids in and talk to them, man-to-man, then get to work, start doing those things and get ready for Wake Forest.”
Following the bye, State will take on the Demon Deacons on the road in Winston Salem, where the Pack hasn’t won since 2003.
