Matchup Preview and Final Score Prediction For No. 8 Georgia Tech vs NC State

Who will win Saturday's game between NC State and Georgia Tech?

Nov 21, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key talks to North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren after a game at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech (8-0, 5-0) is off to its best start since 1966 and they will look to continue that hot start tomorrow night in Raleigh against the NC State Wolfpack (4-4, 1-3).

NC State started the season 3-0, but has lost four of its last five games, with the only win coming at home against FCS squad Campbell. The Wolfpack have lost four consecutive ACC game and don't have a lot of momentum coming into this game, but this team has plenty of talent and have ways of challenging Georgia Tech. A night game in Raleigh can be an ACC teams worst nightmare.

Let's see how the two teams match up.

Georgia Tech offense vs NC State defense

Oct 25, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) runs the ball against the Syracuse Orange in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The biggest mismatch on paper tomorrow night will be between these two units. If Georgia Tech does not turn the ball over and beat itself, I don't see how NC State plans on stopping Georgia Tech and Haynes King, who is looking to continue his Heisman campaign tomorrow night.

The Yellow Jackets come into this game ranking 25th in PPG, 12th in rushing yards per game, 59th in passing yards per game, and 15th in total yards per game.

They are going to face a Wolfpack defense that ranks 103rd in PPG allowed, 46th in rushing yards per game allowed, 129th in passing yards per game allowed, and 105th in total yards allowed per game.

King is the third leading rusher in the ACC and is coming off of one of the best games of his career. Individually, King is the only player in the country that is averaging at least 200 passing yards and 90 rushing yards per game this season. In the last 10 seasons, only three power-conference players have averaged 200 passing yards and 90 rushing yards a game. All three – Louisville’s Lamar Jackson (2016 and 2017), Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts (2019) and LSU’s Jayden Daniels (2023) – were Heisman Trophy finalists, with Jackson and Daniels both winning the award. In all, King ranks among the top five nationally in seven different statistical categories, the top 10 in nine and the top 20 in 12, including total offense (304.4 ypg), points responsible for (16.6 ppg), rushing (93.0 ypg) and completion percentage (70.6%).

King completed 25-of-31 passes (80.6%) against Syracuse last week, which is the highest completion percentage in Georgia Tech history for a passer with at least 30 attempts in a game. He also became the first player in Georgia Tech history with three touchdown passes and two touchdown runs in a game, as well as one of only five NCAA Division I FBS players since 1995 with 300 passing yards, 90 rushing yards, three TD passes, two TD runs and an.800 completion percentage in a game, joining a list that includes LSU’s Jayden Daniels (2023 vs. Georgia State) and Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts (2019 vs. Houston).

Georgia Tech could be getting some key players back this week as well, Offensive lineman Harrison Moore and wide receiver Malik Rutherford both missed last week's game, but are listed as probable on the injury report. The Yellow Jackets identity is of course in the run game, but they are successful when they throw the football too. Given how much NC State has struggled against the pass this year, look for OC Buster Faulkner to utilize the play action and get Georgia Tech's playmakers in space.

If Georgia Tech does not turn the ball over or commit silly penalties that are detrimental to the team, I think they could put up massive numbers on Saturday night.

Georgia Tech's Defense vs NC State's Offense

Oct 25, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey (11) passes against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

NC State's offense is not as good as Georgia Tech's, but they have talented play makers that can give the Yellow Jackets plenty of trouble.

The big question for this team tomorrow night is going to be if star tight end Justin Joly and running back Hollywood Smothers are going to be on the field. Smothers is the leading rusher in the ACC and Joly is the top receiving threat on this offense. They are both listed as questionable on the availability report and their status is going to be worth monitoring leading up to this game.

NC State comes into this game ranked 56th in PPG, 76th in rushing yards per game, 28th in passing yards per game, and 43rd in total yards per game.

Georgia Tech's defense ranks 34th in PPG allowed, 87th in rushing yards per game allowed, 61st in passing yards per game allowed, and 74th in total yards per game.

I think the keys to this game are going to be similar to a couple of weeks ago when Georgia Tech faced Duke. Duke had an even better offense, but Georgia Tech managed to hold them to under 20 points.

I think NC State is going to get some yardage on Georgia Tech tomorrow, but will Georgia Tech keep them out of the endzone and will they win on third and fourth down? Getting pressure on Bailey is going to be a big part of this game. Bailey is one of the ACC's leading passers, but he is not immune to giving it to the other team, as he has seven interceptions this season.

Georgia Tech is going to get defensive tackle Akelo Stone back for this game, but will be missing cornerback Ahmari Harvey and defensive back Savion Riley in this one. Not only that, but DT Matthew Alexander and DB Jy Gilmore are questionable for the game. Gilmore missed last week's game vs Syracuse.

If Gilmore is out again, it will be a loss for the Yellow Jackets but head coach Brent Key is confident in his defensive backfield and their ability to step up:

"The same guys that have been playing. I mean, we've been pretty good. Savion went down in the first game, so we didn't get much out of him, and he's getting close, guys, I mean, to being back. So he's out there starting to get reps now and do things, but the safeties have been pretty much the guys that they are.It's part of it's part of football part of the position. I mean, Ahmari will be down another week or so. And who else? You know, Rod (Rodney Shelley) has stepped up and had to play. We talked about him last week. Uh, Daiquan, you know, Dalen's right there. Dalen's right there on the cusp of being ready to play a lot of football for us. We started working with him in about a month ago on special teams, playing a lot of special teams.

Zach (Zachary Tobe) has been playing pretty solid out there. It's good when you usually don't call a corner's name. You know, corners and tackles, offensive tackles are like the same thing. I mean, out there on the islands, and if you're not calling their name, they're probably doing their job. We had a scare with him last week, and thank goodness he's good to go. Jon Mitchell is another one that's been getting a lot of valuable reps, learning from his mistakes, improving things. I mean, he's been a sure tackler for us when he's been out there. You know, he had a couple last week where he stuck his head where he shouldn't have, and the ball ends up spitting. But, you know, he'll learn from those things and continue to grow his a young redshirt freshman. I think, like I said on Tuesday, that's why we play a lot of guys early in the season. Um, a lot of guys are getting valuable reps and we're going to need all of them.”

For Georgia Tech's defense, preventing explosive plays, getting to the quarterback, and winning in the redzone and on 3rd and 4th downs are going to be the biggest keys to tomorrow's game.

Prediction

Night games in Raleigh have gotten the best of ranked ACC teams before and Georgia Tech is going to have to be careful in this atmosphere. However, I think the Yellow Jackets offense holds a distinct advantage over the Wolfpack defense and should be able to do whatever they want as long as they beat themselves. Will NC State score and get yardage with their offense? I think so, but I don't think they will be able to keep up with Haynes King and Georgia Tech.

Final Score: Georgia Tech 41, NC State 28