NC State Has Lost Again — Here’s What It Tells Us

RALEIGH — NC State suffered an emotional loss to Virginia Tech at home, falling to 3-2 on the season and 1-2 in conference play on the season. The Hokies held on to win 23-21, stopping the Wolfpack on a key fourth down to effectively end the game.

Virginia Tech came into the game with a 1-3 record and an interim head coach leading the way, yet still found a way to beat the Pack. The defense played the game without its leader, as defensive coordinator DJ Eliot left the program after the loss of his daughter to cancer.

Many of the same issues that plagued the Wolfpack throughout the first four games still showed up, but new problems also emerged. If some of those deficiencies aren't corrected in the next two weeks, NC State could be entering a difficult stretch with more questions than answers.

Issues in the Trenches

Before the game, sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey had only been sacked four times in four games. NC State's offensive line kept the young quarterback upright in pass protection situations and he was able to perform well through those four games without being pressured for the most part.

Virginia Tech flipped that script entirely, sacking Bailey four times in the first half and five times in the game. The tackles, Jacarrius Peak and Teague Andersen, struggled in pass protection situations consistently for the first time all year. Run blocking wasn't any better. Sophomore running back Hollywood Smothers was bottled up and held to just 67 yards rushing.

"They didn't do anything crazy. They were moving a lot, as far as stunts and things, but they just beat us. Our offensive tackles have been really good this year against some good defensive ends and we got beat," NC State head coach Dave Doeren said. "Their ends powered us into the quarterback multiple times. Collapsed the pocket on CJ and he didn't have time to throw in the first half."

Sabastian Harsh and Jamel Johnso — Sep 27, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack defensive end Sabastian Harsh (54) and North Carolina State Wolfpack cornerback Jamel Johnson (21) celebrate during the first half of the game against Virginia Tech Hokies at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Slone and Harsh Not Enough

Defensive end Sabastian Harsh and linebacker Cian Slone battled throughout the game and both put together strong performances. Harsh finished with five total tackles, including a tackle for loss, a sack and a quarterback hurry. He saved a touchdown, albeit for just one play, when he tracked down Virginia Tech running back Terion Stewart on an 85-yard run play. Slone finished with seven total tackles, including a massive tackle for loss, a sack and a pair of quarterback hurries.

Cian Slone (@CianSlone) gets chipped, held, but still keeps contain & gets the QB down for the sack before halftime!#1Pack1Goal #NFLDraft #PassRush pic.twitter.com/EuJ2q5iAFO
— DLineVids (@dlinevids1) September 28, 2025

Despite the heroic efforts of that duo once again, the rest of the defense collapsed in critical moments. The interior of the defensive line struggled to plug holes against a weak Hokie offensive line, allowing Stewart to explode for 174 rushing yards in the game.

"Today, we just didn't tackle. Credit to the running back. They had a really solid running back who was able to break a lot of our tackles," Slone said. "We need to rally to the football on defense and trust the scheme and just play with our hair on fire because there are too many missed tackles on defense."

Wolfpack Weapon Returns to Form

Doeren spoke about veteran punter Caden Noonkester's ability to take things to another level before the Duke loss. The punter answered the call in the Virginia Tech loss, helping flip the field five times in the game. Noonkester delivered one booming punt, which landed and rolled for more yards, ultimately finishing as a 66-yard beauty. He pinned the Hokies inside the 20 on three occasions and averaged 51.8 yards per punt.

"He's a weapon when he kicks the ball like that. Hang time, distance and he got some good rolling in tonight," Doeren said. "That's what you expect from a guy who has punted for as long as he has for us."

Aug 28, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren looks on during the warmups prior to the game against East Carolina Pirates at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Dangerous Territory

This was a loss that NC State couldn't afford, given the way the schedule had turned out. The Wolfpack is set to face Campbell, an FCS opponent, next week, but will face an absolute gauntlet the rest of the season.

Still waiting for Doeren and NC State are Notre Dame, Pitt and Miami on the road and home games against Georgia Tech, Florida State and North Carolina. As it stands immediately following the Virginia Tech loss, four of those programs are ranked in the AP Top 25. NC State will need to correct several major issues if it wants to compete in all of those games.

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