RALEIGH, NC – The Wolfpack made homecoming one to remember as NC State picked up its second straight conference win with a 59-28 victory over Stanford Saturday afternoon from Carter-Finley Stadium.
NC State (5-4, 2-3) totaled 527 yards and scored on nine straight drives, including six consecutive touchdowns. The Wolfpack used a balanced attack to lead them to victory, with KC Concepcion, Hollywood Smothers, and Jordan Waters each scoring two touchdowns in the game.
Waters and Smothers became the first running-back duo since Zonovan Knight and Ricky Person to rush for over 100 yards in a game (USF, 9/2/21). Waters ran it five times for 115 yards, including a 94-yard touchdown run, the second-longest rush in program history.
Smothers had his first two touchdown games and has three straight 100-yard games since his return from injury. Smothers ran it 16 times for 100 yards with a long of 52 yards.
Concepcion had a rushing and receiving touchdown in the game, giving him six total on the year. The Wolfpack’s six five rushing touchdowns are the most since they had five in 2018 against UNC.
Quarterback CJ Bailey was nearly perfect. The freshman was 18-20 for 234 yards and three touchdowns. His 90% completion percentage is the highest by a quarterback since 2003 when Phillip Rivers went 26-30 and had a .872 completion percentage.
The 59 points scored are the most against a conference opponent. It is the first time the Pack has scored over 50 points since putting up 55 against Charleston Southern. The 59 points are the most since the Pack scored 63 against South Alabama in 2015.
Justin Joly and Wesley Grimes were involved in the passing game, with Joly having four catches for 66 yards and a touchdown and Grimes with four catches and 65 yards. Keenan Jackson had a career-high 48 receiving yards and secured his second touchdown of the season.
It wasn’t just the offense and defense producing, but special teams as well, with DK Kaufman totaling 164 return yards, including a 91-yard return that set up a Concepcion score. His 164 yards rank ninth all-time for most in a game.
For the second time this season and the first time since Sept 28th against NIU, the Wolfpack scored on their opening drive as they established the running game early and often. Smothers punched it into the endzone from two yards out to put NC State up 7-0.
The Wolfpack offense wasn’t on the sideline very long as the defense led by Davin Vann got to the quarterback, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Sean Brown, setting up the NC State offense just outside the red zone.
Vann has five forced fumbles on the season, leading the nation.
Just as they did the first drive, the Wolfpack found the end zone with the running game, as Waters scored his second touchdown of the season to put the Pack up 14-0.
Stanford responded with their own rushing touchdown to get on the board, but the Pack went back up double digits with Colin Smith’s first field goal of the season.
The rushing touchdown trend continued as Stanford cut it to a three-point game with a three-minute 6-play 75-yard drive.
The Pack continued to put up points, this time with the first receiving touchdown of the game coming from Justin Joly as Bailey found all alone in the end zone for a nine-yard connection. Joly has scored three touchdowns in his last four games.
After Stanford opened the second half with a touchdown, Kaufman took the ensuing kickoff 91 yards to set up the Wolfpack inside the Stanford 10-yard line. One play later, Concepcion took the direct snap and scored, putting the Pack back up 17.
The Wolfpack never looked back, going up as much as 38 points toward the end of the game to wrap up the win.
UP NEXT: The Pack will have one last home game inside Carter-Finley Stadium this season as Duke makes the quick trip to Raleigh on Saturday, Nov. 9. Game time and TV network are still to be determined.
