Duke Scott Shines as NC State Stuns No. 8 Georgia Tech
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RALEIGH — When star running back Hollywood Smothers walked onto the field at Carter-Finley Stadium without his pads on, the already-slim hopes of NC State upsetting No. 8 Georgia Tech shrunk even more. His replacement, redshirt freshman Duke Scott, had other ideas.
Scott entered the 2025 season as the change-of-pace option for Smothers. As the lead back, he helped the Wolfpack score 48 points on the Yellow Jackets. The performance came as no surprise to his coach, Dave Doeren, and his quarterback, CJ Bailey.
Duke Scott’s got WHEELS 🛞
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) November 2, 2025
Duke Scott became the first NC State freshman RB to top 100 YDs since 2019 as he ran the ball 24 times for 196 YDs and a score@PackFootball | @PackAthletics | #1Pack1Goal | @DrPepper pic.twitter.com/AhSOeyaqFf
Scott toted the football 24 times for 196 yards and a score in the 48-36 win. He also added 11 yards receiving in his dominant performance. While Bailey put together his own impressive outing, the Wolfpack needed Scott's punishing runs to maintain a two-score cushion throughout the win.
Inside the Dominant Performance
Before the Georgia Tech game, Scott's only outing with 10 or more carries came against Campbell. He tallied 10 carries for 89 yards in that win over the lowly Fighting Camels. Even before that performance, there were flashes of Scott's talent and explosiveness, dating all the way back to fall camp when his teammates raved about his physicality and athleticism. He didn't take all the credit though.
"I'd like to think my O-line. They blocked their behinds off all day," the running back said with a smile. "It's surreal for my first start to be an upset. It’s a surreal feeling."
Playmakers #1Pack1Goal pic.twitter.com/6KfG3r6SAM
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) November 2, 2025
99 of Scott's crucial yards came on two plays. Midway through the third quarter, Scott took off for a 69-yard rush, once again gashing the Georgia Tech defense. Yellow Jacket defensive back Rodney Shelley yanked the redshirt freshman down by the facemask, moving NC State inside the three-yard line. The big play set up a Wolfpack score that extended the lead back to 11 points.
His second monster run put the Yellow Jackets to bed. Leading 41-30, Scott darted through a hole on the left side of his offensive line. He paused, shifted directions slightly and burst into the open field with just two Yellow Jackets to beat. He outpaced them and stormed into the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown, his first of the game.
Duke Scott Caps it Off 😮💨
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) November 2, 2025
Duke Scott secures NC State’s upset dub with a 30-YD touchdown run late in the fourth quarter@PackFootball | @PackAthletics | #1Pack1Goal | @cpisecurity pic.twitter.com/oNjst1HPc4
In the buildup to the game, Scott leaned on the wisdom of Smothers, still the ACC's leading rusher even after missing Saturday's game. It paid off in a major way, as the potential All-American gave Scott the advice he needed to explode to 196 yards.
"He just told me to be calm, be patient, and don't don't try to hit the home run because it's going to come, and it's going to develop itself," Scott said about his teammate. "The funny thing is, right before I ran the 72-yarder, he was like, 'Hey, this is the one. I can feel it.' Sure enough, it popped open."
Before facing the Yellow Jackets, Scott forced 14 tackles in eight games. He made 11 Georgia Tech defenders miss Saturday night. His performance was a testament to his work ethic according to both Doeren and Bailey.
"I wasn't surprised at all. I've already seen Duke since last year. He's a great person. He never complains. He comes to practice, comes to the weight room every day and works hard," Bailey said. "He's a very strong guy, a very fast guy and people don't see it."
While Smothers will likely be back after NC State's bye week, Scott earned the respect of his team and the Wolfpack fan base with his masterful performance. He was rewarded by the love of thousands of raucous fans, who charged the field as Caden Fordham hauled in the game-sealing interception in the end zone.
"It was awesome, especially being a part of it. You always see it on TV and all that stuff, the fans rushing the crowd," Scott said. "It was awesome to be a part of it. I got to take some a lot of good pictures and just interact with fans."
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Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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