RALEIGH, N.C. — In a dominant display, North Carolina State triumphed over Stanford with an impressive score of 59-28, marking the Cardinal’s sixth straight defeat. Hollywood Smothers and Jordan Waters each found the end zone twice, while quarterback CJ Bailey contributed three touchdowns and showcased near perfection in his passing performance.
The Wolfpack, now 2-3 in the ACC and 5-4 overall, ended a two-game home losing streak with a rapid-fire start to the second half. In just four plays, they managed to score three touchdowns, highlighted by Waters’ remarkable 94-yard touchdown run, which stands as the second-longest rushing touchdown in the history of NC State football.
Taking the reins as the starting quarterback midseason after Grayson McCall’s retirement due to head injuries, Bailey excelled in his role. The Miami native completed 18 of 20 passes, racking up 234 yards and demonstrating a knack for connecting on deep passes with three completions exceeding 25 yards. He achieved an impressive quarterback rating of 237.8 before leaving the game in the fourth quarter.
On a day honoring Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson, who was inducted into the NC State Ring of Honor and previously named the ACC’s defensive player of the year, the Wolfpack’s defense struggled initially, allowing a total of 398 offensive yards.
For Stanford, quarterback Ashton Daniels kept the game competitive, scoring two rushing touchdowns from 67 and 48 yards and matching a single-game school record for quarterback rushing with 129 yards on 11 carries. However, his performance was cut short in the third quarter after taking a hard hit that resulted in a roughing the passer penalty. Although Daniels returned to the sidelines after briefly heading to the locker room, he was replaced for the rest of the matchup by Justin Lamson, who contributed a rushing touchdown and another through the air.
This game marked the inaugural encounter between the two programs, with Stanford suffering its fifth straight loss in the ACC after initially winning in their conference debut on September 20.
Key Takeaways:
For Stanford, the defense had significant difficulties against NC State, managing to force only one punt in the fourth quarter while conceding 527 total yards.
On the other hand, North Carolina State showcased an exceptional offensive and special teams performance, highlighted by DK Kaufman’s impressive kickoff returns of 45 and 91 yards. This victory resulted in their highest point total since a 63-13 triumph over South Alabama back in 2015.
Looking ahead, Stanford will enter a bye week before hosting its final home game of the season on November 16 against Louisville. Meanwhile, North Carolina State prepares for its last home matchup of 2024 against Duke on November 9.