Key Stats Explain NC State’s Stunning Loss to Virginia Tech

It’s been a full day since NC State was upset at home by the Virginia Tech Hokies, and in that time, the advanced statistics from the game have come out. The stats help paint the full picture of how the Wolfpack weren’t able to seal the deal fully against a Hokies team who were being led by an interim head coach in Philip Montgomery and the same team that fell to Old Dominion just weeks ago at home.

Without further ado, it’s time to dive into three key statistics from the loss.

Missed Tackles

The Hokies had a star in Raleigh 👀

Terion Stewart ripped off 176 yards on only 15 carries in the win!@HokiesFB | @HokieSports | #GoHokies pic.twitter.com/yVtRsVYdqk
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) September 28, 2025

Wolfpack fans must be used to it now, but the defense has struggled to limit opposing run games throughout the first five weeks of the season. Virginia Tech running back Terion Stewart ran for 174 yards and forced 11 missed tackles on Saturday night.

As a whole, the Wolfpack defense missed 14 tackles against the Hokies, according to Pro Football Focus. Out of the 14 missed tackles, 13 of them came while defending the run. Stewart has a more bulky build as a running back at 5-foot-9, 22 pounds. NC State has struggled against this type of back, Anderson Castle a week ago and J’mari Taylor in week two.

🗣️ J'MARI TAYLOR IS HIM!!

This 66-yard run marks his third rushing TD of the day and ties his career long.

📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/4dH8INoQdB
— Virginia Football (@UVAFootball) September 6, 2025

Linebacker Caden Fordham had the most missed tackles with three, but he also led the team in tackles with 13.

Sabastian Harsh Pass rush win percentage on true pass sets

NC State defensive end Sabastina Harsh played the full 60 minutes against Virginia Tech after missing the first half against Duke a week ago due to a targeting penalty against Wake Forest.

Harsh made his presence felt again, having four total pressures, three quarterback hurries and one sack. The biggest takeaway from his performance is his 23.1 percent win percentage on true pass sets. True pass sets are plays where the quarterback has a true dropback, excluding things like screens and roll-out plays from the offense.

Advanced rushing statistics

Looking at the rushing statistics from the NC State offense, to keep it simple, it’s not pretty. The Hokies had a 19 percent defensive run stuff rate ranking in the sixth percentile.

NC State RB Hollywood Smothers came into the day leading the ACC with 503 rushing yards and a 6.29-yard average.

He has nine carries for 36 yards at halftime. #Hokies have done a nice job bottling him up so far.
— Andy Bitter (@AndyBitterVT) September 28, 2025

NC State had 27 rushing attempts in the game, and in those 27 attempts, 15 of them weren’t able to go for over two yards. 10 were stopped runs (under two yards) and five of them were stuffed runs.

There were some bright spots for NC State, but not much. The pass rush found success, but quarterback Kyron Drones performed well under it. In terms of tackling and rushing the ball, NC State has a prime opportunity to get back on track, facing an FCS school in Campbell next week.

Sep 20, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack running back Hollywood Smothers (3) runs the ball against the Duke Blue Devils during the fourth quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

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