First look: NC State seeks to upset undefeated Georgia Tech for homecoming
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- NC State seeks homecoming rebound after two losses, aims to restore bowl hopes.
- Georgia Tech enters 8-0, ranks No. 8 AP, dominates conference rushing and red zone.
- Haynes King leads Yellow Jackets in rushing and passing, creating matchup problems.
It’s been nearly a month since N.C. State football took the field at Carter-Finley Stadium, and the Wolfpack is ready to be home.
The Wolfpack (4-4, 1-3 ACC) is on a two-game losing streak after disappointing road losses to Notre Dame and Pittsburgh. It would like to right the ship, especially on homecoming, but the team will have to battle a tested, talented and eighth-ranked Georgia Tech team.
Head coach Brent Key already has the Yellow Jackets bowl eligible and they are 5-0 for the first time in program history. Their 8-0 overall record is the best start since 1966. They are coming off a 41-16 win over Syracuse, with road wins at Colorado and Duke and an early victory over Clemson.
Georgia Tech is statistically one of the ACC’s top teams and came in at No. 8 in the Week 10 Associated Press Top 25 poll. It ranks in the top four of the conference for multiple categories, including scoring offense, scoring defense, total defense, red zone offense and red zone defense. The Yellow Jackets are holding teams to 20 points per game and scoring, on average, 36 points.
Additionally, Georgia Tech’s red zone efficiency ranks among the top of the league. It is scoring on 93.9% of the offensive possessions inside the 20-yard line, and limiting opponents to scores on 73.1% of their attempts.
N.C. State’s productivity is far lower than that of the Yellow Jackets, giving up 29.9 points per game and scoring 30.5 points of its own. It did not enter the red zone against Notre Dame and only made it inside the 20 once on Saturday.
The Wolfpack is a heavy underdog going into the contest, but it also looks to snap its losing streak and stay in contention for bowl eligibility.
“Gotta go game by game,” Hollywood Smothers said. “You can’t win the game next week or a week from now, you gotta focus on right now. Then, focus from Monday through Saturday, just one day at a time.”
Player to watch: Haynes King
Last season, the Wolfpack avoided playing Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King for most of the game — he only threw three passes — but that doesn’t appear to be the case this time around.
King has played a major role for the Yellow Jackets, thanks to his confidence in the pocket and ability to bully his way through opposing defensive fronts.
The senior leads the team in rushing yards (651), passing yards (1,480) and total offense (2,131). His rushing yards rank third in the ACC, behind N.C. State’s Hollywood Smothers (825) and Louisville’s Isaac Brown (652).
As a team, the Yellow Jackets average 229.8 rushing yards per game, with King running for 93 yards per outing. The senior has run for 100 yards in four games and passed for 200 in five.
Additionally, the senior has scored 12 rushing touchdowns, an ACC high and second-best in the country, and a team-leading seven passing touchdowns.
In the win over Syracuse on Saturday, King accounted for five touchdowns as a passer and rusher. He added a season-high 304 passing yards.
Not only does King serve as a do-it-all player, but he does it efficiently. King ranks No. 2 in the ACC and No. 7 in the nation with a 72.3% completion rate and is No. 6 in the league for yards per carry (5.8).
King has made a case to be a first team All-ACC honoree and All-American. His versatility, especially for a thin N.C. State defense, could be difficult to stop.
Vegas betting line
Georgia Tech is listed as a 6.5-point favorite, with a 57.5 over/under. The Yellow Jackets moneyline is set at -235, and N.C. State is listed at +190.
NC State vs Georgia Tech game info
Teams: N.C. State Wolfpack (4-4) vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-0)
Where: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh
Date: Nov. 1
Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN2
Stream: fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV Stream, Sling TV
Series history: Georgia Tech leads the all-time series, 21-11, and has won four of the last five matchups. The Wolfpack lost the most-recent matchup, 30-29, last season in Atlanta. N.C. State scored 22 fourth-quarter points to put itself in position to win, but defensive breakdowns and a missed field goal allowed the Yellow Jackets to come out victorious. N.C. State’s last victory came on Dec. 5, 2020, at Carter-Finley Stadium, when it defeated Georgia Tech, 23-13.
This story was originally published October 27, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "First look: NC State seeks to upset undefeated Georgia Tech for homecoming."
