ACC Football – NC State Edges Wake Forest 34-24

CJ Baily hit Keenan Jackson for 6 early in the fourth quarter to help N.C. State beat Wake Forest 34-24 on Thursday night.

Bailey threw three TD passes for the Wolfpack (3-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), two going to tight end Justin Joly. That helped N.C. State rally from a quick 14-0 hole, the first score coming on a 98-yard kickoff return to open the game. 

“What a terrible start, with the kickoff return for a touchdown, The thing you love is just, we’re tested. We’ve been down a couple of times. These guys know how to fight back.” Dave Doeren NC State Head Coach said. 

The Wolfpack also saw 6-foot-3, 280-pound defensive tackle Isaiah Shirley get 6 snatching an errant pass and going in from 41 yards for a TD late in the first quarter.

Tbe Wolfpack added an INT from Ronnie Royal III with 5:02 left.

For the Demon Deacons, Chris Barnes had the big return to open the game and added a 70-yard catch-and-run on a deep ball.  That was followed up by running back Demond Claiborne getting a 1-yard rushing score to put Wake Forest up 14-0.

“We believe in each other, we are  going to fight. We might bend, we’ll never break. We believe in each other, we believe in the man next to each other. …We knew the game wasn’t over.” NC State RB Hollywood Smothers said who rushe for 163 yards.

QB Robby Ashford also ran for a touchdown on a short keeper for the Demon Deacons (2-1, 0-1), who lost for the first time under new coach Jake Dickert for their third touchdown on the day. 

“I’m not too energized by losses so much. I’m not a moral victory guy. But we’re a better football team today than we were three weeks ago, and that’s a big deal. We’re going to continue to fight.” Wake Foresr coach Jake Dickert said. 

N.C. State: It’s the program’s first 3-0 start since 2022, along with its first back-to-back road wins in the long-running instate series since 1993 and 1995.

Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons’ early lead fizzled along with the offense, which stalled late in the first half and didn’t post another first down until a targeting call on the Wolfpack a play before Royal’s pick. Wake Forest finished with 44 second-half yards.

Random 

Smoke filled the air for a several minutes during the first quarter in Winston Salem because of a malfunctioning meat smoker in a food truck for fans at Allegacy Stadium. There was footage of a worker in the truck using a fire extinguisher, though school athletics spokesman Will Pantages said there were no injuries.  Stadium officials briefly cleared the area and the area fire department was on hand to ensure everything was OK.

Coming up 

N.C. State: Another instate league matchup awaits the Wolfpack with a trip to Duke on Sept. 20.

Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons get an early open date before hosting Georgia Tech on Sept. 27.