NC State vs No. 8 Georgia Tech: Official Game Predictions
In this story:
RALEIGH — With four games remaining and a 4-4 record on the board, NC State needs to make the most of its limited opportunities to change opinions about the program.
Unfortunately for the Wolfpack, the next two opponents both sit inside the top 10 of the AP poll, with No. 8 Georgia Tech slated to arrive in Raleigh for a game under the lights at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday night.
With their collective back against the wall, the Wolfpack will need to do what it hasn't throughout the entire 2025 season to have a chance to upset the undefeated Yellow Jackets: play complementary football.
An Intriguing Quarterback Matchup
During NC State's latest two-game losing streak, sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey has been a far cry from the version of himself he showed during the team's 3-0 start. He averaged just 205.5 yards across the two losses and threw three interceptions against Notre Dame.
If the Wolfpack is to have any chance, Bailey will need to play a complete game, something that's eluded him all season. However, the sophomore could be without two critical weapons, as running back Hollywood Smothers and tight end Justin Joly were both listed as questionable on the Thursday availability report.
NC State’s initial availability report vs. No. 8 Georgia Tech is up:
— Noah Fleischman (@fleischman_noah) October 31, 2025
- TE Justin Joly and S Ronnie Royal III are questionable after leaving Pitt early.
- RB Hollywood Smothers is questionable. He’s a new addition.
- OL Spike Sowells is out for second straight week. pic.twitter.com/XoK1FcJZqx
The Yellow Jackets will enter Carter-Finley Stadium on the back of Haynes King, the versatile and dominant quarterback largely responsible for the team's 8-0 start. King was limited in the 2024 chapter of NC State vs. Georgia Tech, as his team took down the Wolfpack 30-29 with freshman quarterback Aaron Philo leading the way.
King attacks via the ground and the air. He picked apart the Syracuse defense with pinpoint accuracy in his last appearance, finishing with 304 passing yards, 91 rushing yards and three total touchdowns.
HAYNES KING AND THE JACKETS ARE BACK IN FRONT pic.twitter.com/54NJZspvex
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) September 13, 2025
NC State head coach Dave Doeren said it was hard to simulate how talented a player King is during the Wolfpack's practices. Even so, the coach believes his defense will be fired up for the opportunity to face such a dynamic player.
"They've got a Heisman Trophy contender at quarterback and, obviously, as a defensive player, you don't want to be on his highlight reel," Doeren said. "You want to do everything you can not to let that happen."
Playing With Food?
Throughout Georgia Tech's incredible rise, there has certainly been some turbulence. The Yellow Jackets escaped with one-score wins over Colorado, Clemson and Wake Forest in the first eight weeks. Head coach Brent Key pushed his team to get over starting slow throughout the week, as that's been a concern for the Yellow Jackets all season.
In the Syracuse game, the Institute scored just three points in the first quarter. Key's team recovered nicely, outscoring the Orange 31-7 in the second and third quarters. Carter-Finley Stadium poses a different challenge than most of the Georgia Tech road opponents to date, aside from Colorado. A slow start could spell danger for the road team against a wounded and desperate Pack of Wolves.
Overcoming Injury
NC State is a very different team with Smothers and Joly on the field. The pair hasn't missed a game so far, but with both on the injury report, there is some doubt about their availability. At the running back position, redshirt freshman Duke Scott showed flashes against Wake Forest, Duke and Campbell. However, there's no reason to believe he could replicate the danger of Smothers.
Joly is Bailey's security blanket. Without him, the offense is down its best pass-catching option, particularly in the red zone. After doing his best Greg Jennings impression in the loss to Pitt, the tight end left with an apparent leg injury and did not return. The Pack could struggle without Smothers and Joly in the mix.
Any Given Saturday
Parity is the name of the game in college football in 2025. Coaches are fired on a weekly basis. Upsets come each week. With the uneasiness about his future put to rest after comments made during the week, Doeren's view is that anything is possible in the final four games of the season. The veteran coach pulled rabbits out of the hat in the past.
"The odds are against you when a lot of players are out and things like that. But you see upsets in sports all the time, and I've been a part of a few of them," Doeren said. "So I don't look at anything as insurmountable. I look at it as a huge opportunity."
The Prediction
While Doeren pulled off an upset in Carter-Finley Stadium over No. 9 Clemson back in 2021, the Wolfpack wasn't without so many defensive playmakers. Georgia Tech presents numerous problems to an NC State defense that hasn't shown any ability to get stops over the last five weeks against FBS opponents.
The Yellow Jackets can't afford to play around too much early, however, as NC State can put points on the board. Key will have his team ready and the Yellow Jackets will spoil Homecoming weekend for the Wolfpack, winning 42-28.
Want more NC State football content during the 2025 season? Follow on X (Twitter) @WolfpackOnSI and @SennettTucker and never miss another breaking news story again. Want to reach out with questions about the Wolfpack? Send an email to wolfpackonsi@gmail.com to potentially be featured on mailbag stories in the future.
Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
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.
Follow SennettTucker