NC State Edges Out Virginia in 35-31 Battle
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RALEIGH, N.C. – On a warm day at Carter-Finley Stadium, both Virginia and NC State decided defense was an optional part of the game, at least until the very end. The Wolfpack escaped with a 35-31 victory.
It all came down to first-year defensive coordinator DJ Eliot and his unit for the Wolfpack for the second straight week. It was a far different performance than the one against East Carolina, but the defense made some critical plays down the stretch. One of the heroes from Week One, JACK linebacker Cian Slone, intercepted UVA quarterback Chandler Morris in the end zone to seal the game for the Pack.
Storming out of the Gate
The first quarter certainly didn’t go the way first-year defensive coordinator DJ Eliot wanted it to for the Wolfpack. After bottling up the East Carolina rushing attack in the season opener, Virginia gashed NC State throughout the first quarter on the ground. Virginia lead tailback J'Mari Taylor gashed the Wolfpack throughout the entire game, ultimately ending up with 156 yards and three touchdowns, two of them coming in the first quarter.
Sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey stole the show for the Wolfpack offense in the first half once again. The signal caller answered back quickly after Virginia’s opening offense, marching the Wolfpack down the field on a five-play, 75-yard touchdown drive.
He capped it off with an impressive 30-yard touchdown rush, his second of the season. At the start of the second quarter, he fired a beautifully lofted ball over the middle to Ohio State transfer Noah Rogers for a 28-yard touchdown.
Bailey finished the first half with 102 passing yards and a touchdown, going 9-of-11 through the air. The 30-yard touchdown was all the quarterback mustered on the ground in the half. The sophomore ended the game with 200 passing yards and three total touchdowns. He completed 16 of his 23 passes.
Learning from Mistakes
The second-quarter woes struck NC State once again, however. After Bailey’s touchdown pass, Roper’s unit went three-and-out on back-to-back drives as Virginia ramped up its pressure on Bailey. One drive ended after a controversial no-call led to an incompletion by Bailey and UVA standout Cam Ross ran back the ensuing punt to the State 27. Virginia capped off the first half with a touchdown to take a 24-14 lead.
The Wolfpack stormed out of the gate in the second half. Bailey led a quick and efficient touchdown drive, with Hollywood Smothers scampering in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown rush to cut the Cavalier lead to three. After forcing a UVA punt, it was time to take the ‘Hoos to Hollywood. The running back broke free and galloped for a cinematic 57-yard rush to set the Wolfpack up in the red zone. Bailey put the finishing touches on the picture with another touchdown rush to put NC State up 28-24.
Hollywood Smothers is the first NC State player with 130+ rushing yards & two rushing touchdowns in a game since Reggie Gallaspy in 2018!#1Pack1Goal pic.twitter.com/wbK17Ivp3t
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) September 6, 2025
The back-and-forth battle continued, as Taylor exploded for his third touchdown of the day, this time on a 66-yard carry. Roper went right back to Smothers after Bailey led a surgical drive deep into Virginia territory, and the running back scored another touchdown to put State up 35-31. Smothers rushed for 141 yards and two touchdowns on just 17 carries. He became the first State running back to rush for more than 130 yards and two touchdowns since 2018.
The Defense Has Arrived
Early in the fourth quarter, the Wolfpack defense held up on a 3rd-and-long and forced a Virginia field goal attempt. Cavalier kicker Will Bettridge drilled the left upright from 47 yards out, giving the Wolfpack a much-needed stop. NC State couldn’t capitalize on the next drive, however.
The Wolfpack offense couldn't kill enough of the clock, setting up Eliot's defense under pressure once again. Defensive end Sabastian Harsh and linebacker Kenny Soares Jr. came up with a major stop on 4th-and-short inside the 10. Once again, the Wolfpack didn't kill enough clock. Morris led the Cavaliers back down the field before Slone came up with the clutch interception to seal things.
CIAN SLONE SAVES THE WOLFPACK DEFENSE pic.twitter.com/jPQP4VLrXK
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) September 6, 2025
NC State will have a short week to prepare for its first road trip of the season, although it won't be a long one. The Wolfpack will face Wake Forest on Thursday night in Winston-Salem.
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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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