Noah Rogers #5 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack gets the contested catch over Daiquan White #4 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the college football game between the North Carolina State Wolfpack and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on N …
RALEIGH, N.C. - Duke Scott and CJ Bailey led N.C. State to one of its biggest wins in years Saturday night, upsetting No. 8 Georgia Tech 48-36 to hand the Yellow Jackets their first loss of the season.
What we know:
Scott, a redshirt freshman pressed into a starting role because of injuries, ran for a career-high 196 yards. Bailey threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another score, helping the Wolfpack (5-4, 2-3 ACC) pile up 583 yards of offense and score on eight of 10 drives.
"It was awesome," Scott said of the postgame celebration, as fans poured onto the field at Carter-Finley Stadium. "The line just blocked so well. It’s kind of like, the holes were there and I just had to hit them."
Coach Dave Doeren praised his team’s effort and toughness. "Resiliency is what this place is about," he said. "It’s why I’ve always loved N.C. State. It’s definitely a part of my DNA. The harder it gets, sometimes I think the better we are."
The loss ended Georgia Tech’s perfect 8-0 start, its best since 1966, and halted a run toward an Atlantic Coast Conference championship berth and possible playoff appearance.
"They lined up and physically kicked our (butt) in a lot of ways," Yellow Jackets coach Brent Key said. "It is what it is. That’s on me. I take responsibility for it."
By the numbers:
Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King threw for 408 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 103 yards and two more scores, but the Yellow Jackets couldn’t overcome missed opportunities in the red zone. They settled for three field goals, missed another, and committed a false start on a fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line.
"We get the ball down to the 1-yard line, we’ve got to be able to put it in offensively," Key said. "Those mistakes were self-defeating mistakes."
The Wolfpack sealed the victory when Caden Fordham intercepted King’s desperation pass in the end zone on the final play, triggering the on-field celebration.
N.C. State’s win marked its first over a top-10 opponent since defeating No. 9 Clemson in double overtime in 2021, and its highest-ranked victory since beating No. 3 Florida State in 2012.
Scott’s breakout game nearly doubled his career rushing total, highlighted by a 69-yard run to set up a touchdown and a 30-yard scoring burst late in the fourth quarter that put the game away. Fans responded with chants of "Duuuuuuuke!" as he sprinted downfield.
"We have three games remaining, and everything that we have wanted to do is still in front of us," Key said. "It’s our choice and our decision how we respond to this outcome."
The result flipped the script from 2002, when Georgia Tech spoiled a 9-0 Wolfpack season with a 24-17 upset in Raleigh.
What's next:
Next up, Georgia Tech (8-1, 5-1) has a bye before visiting Boston College on Nov. 15. N.C. State will also rest next week before traveling to face No. 10 Miami on the same date.
The Source: The details in this article come from the Georgia Tech game against North Carolina State. FOX Sports and the Associated Press contributed to this report.