Hokies Grab Back-To-Back Wins (9-27-25)
By: Joey Raymond
Headline Photo Credit: Katie Raymond-LMS Network
Raleigh, NC –We made our way down to the capital city of North Carolina, where the Virginia Tech Hokies entered the Wolf’s Den to take on NC State. Coming off a win against Wofford, the Hokies were looking to carry momentum into Raleigh, despite dealing with an interim head coach and several key players opting out or redshirting. On the other sideline, the Wolfpack brought a dangerous offense into this matchup but continued to search for consistency on defense. This had the makings of one of the most evenly matched games Virginia Tech would see all season. Under the lights on a perfect evening in “Raleighwood,” here’s how it unfolded.
First Quarter
NC State won the toss and deferred, giving the Hokies the game’s first possession. Starting at their own 21, Virginia Tech moved the chains once on a 19-yard connection between Kyron Drones and Isiah Spencer, but the drive stalled and forced an early punt. The Wolfpack took over deep in their own territory at the 11, but a bad snap and swarming Hokie defense quickly pushed them backward, setting up a three-and-out.
A strong return set Virginia Tech up at the NC State 40, and Terion Stewart provided a spark with a hard-earned 14-yard run. Still, the Hokies couldn’t fully capitalize, settling for a 40-yard John Love field goal to take the early 3-0 lead.
NC State responded with a methodical drive. Quarterback CJ Bailey leaned on screens and short passes to march the Wolfpack downfield, eventually hitting Justin Jolly for a 22-yard gain that set up 1st-and-goal. After a penalty backed them up, Bailey found Keyon Daniels on a blown coverage for the game’s first touchdown, giving NC State a 7-3 edge.
Virginia Tech’s next possession went nowhere, and NC State had another chance before the quarter ended. Bailey connected on a 17-yard pass to extend the drive, bringing the Wolfpack near midfield as the first quarter closed with the Pack in front, 7-3.
Second Quarter
NC State tried to keep that momentum going, but the Hokies’ defense made a statement early. On 4th-and-1, safety Caleb Spencer shot the gap and stuffed the run attempt, giving Virginia Tech the ball back with great field position and firing up the sideline.
Riding that energy, the Hokies’ offense came alive. Stewart churned out back-to-back first downs, and Drones pulled off some elusive magic to avoid pressure and hit Spencer for 14 yards. A few plays later, Drones scrambled for another first down, putting Tech on the 10-yard line. On 3rd-and-11, out of a timeout, Drones zipped a strike to Da’Quan Hawkins for the touchdown, swinging the lead back to Virginia Tech at 10-7.
The Hokies’ defense answered again, forcing intentional grounding on Bailey and sending the Pack into a 4th-and-18 punt. But NC State’s special teams pinned Virginia Tech at its own 8. Drones didn’t flinch, hitting Bhayshul Tuten and Tucker Holloway for short gains before finding Seldon for 22 yards and Ayden Greene for a spectacular 36-yard grab. The drive stalled, but John Love stayed perfect, drilling another kick to make it 13-7 Hokies.
NC State had one more shot before halftime, but defensive lineman Wilfried Pene powered through the line for a sack that pushed the Pack back into 3rd-and-long. Forced to punt, NC State gave Virginia Tech the ball with just over a minute left. Hawkins ripped off a 25-yard run to spark life into the Hokies’ two-minute drill, but penalties and sacks killed the momentum. The clock ticked down, sending us to halftime with Virginia Tech holding a 13-7 advantage.
Third Quarter
NC State opened the second half at its own 25 after a touchback and wasted little time moving the ball. CJ Bailey connected with Noah Rogers for 16 yards, then hit Justin Jolly a few plays later for another 16 to bring the Pack into the red zone. Moments later, Bailey found Keenan Jackson on a 13-yard strike for the touchdown, putting NC State back in front, 14-13.
Virginia Tech answered with a steady drive of its own. Terion Stewart powered forward for 11 yards to start things off, and a quarterback sneak by Kyron Drones converted a 4th-and-1 to keep the drive alive. Stewart added another 11-yard burst, but the Pack defense stiffened, eventually sacking Drones to force a punt.
The Hokies’ defense responded with a three-and-out, and Tech took over deep in their own territory at the 11. Then came the game’s biggest play: Stewart broke through a tackle and tore down the field for an electrifying 85-yard run — the seventh-longest in Virginia Tech history. That run set the Hokies up at the 4-yard line, where Drones immediately tossed a screen pass for the touchdown. After the PAT, Tech jumped back ahead 20-14.
NC State began its next possession at the 25, managing a short gain before the third quarter clock ran out with the Hokies clinging to a 20-14 lead.
Fourth Quarter
The Wolfpack opened the fourth looking for an answer. A pass initially ruled complete for a first down was overturned on review, but a pass interference flag against Tech kept the drive alive. Bailey then delivered big throws — a 20-yard gain to Terrell Grimes and a 26-yarder to Anderson — to push the Pack into the red zone. From there, Duke Scott capped the drive with a one-yard plunge, flipping the lead once more, 21-20, with just under 11 minutes to play.
Back came the Hokies. Stewart continued to churn out yards, and Drones found Benji Gosnell on a desperate 3rd-and-long heave for a miraculous 14-yard catch to move the sticks. The drive stalled, but John Love drilled a 43-yard field goal… only for it to be wiped away by a delay of game penalty. Undaunted, Love stepped back five more yards and hammered home a 49-yarder to reclaim the lead for Tech, 23-21.
NC State’s next drive unraveled quickly. After a 10-yard run, a forced fumble (recovered by the Pack) pushed them into 2nd-and-21. The Hokies’ defense held firm, forcing a punt with just over four minutes left.
Tech turned to Stewart and the ground game to burn the clock. They converted one first down but eventually faced 4th-and-inches near midfield. Montgomery’s squad lined up as if to go for it, only to call a timeout and punt the ball away, trusting the defense.
The Pack took over at their own 18 with 1:36 left and no timeouts. Bailey converted a clutch 3rd-and-10 with a 17-yard completion, but the drive stalled soon after. On 4th-and-1, his pass fell incomplete, sealing the game for Virginia Tech.
Drones and the offense came out in victory formation, kneeling it out to secure the Hokies’ first one-score win under interim head coach Phillip Montgomery — something that consistently eluded them under Brent Pry. Final score: Virginia Tech 23, NC State 21.
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Virginia Tech showed real resilience in Raleigh, grinding out a one-score win that felt like a turning point under interim head coach Phillip Montgomery. The Hokies leaned heavily on Terion Stewart’s physical running and Kyron Drones’ playmaking to keep drives alive, while John Love’s steady leg provided the difference on the scoreboard. Perhaps most importantly, Tech finally proved they could finish in a tight game — something that haunted them throughout the Brent Pry era.
For NC State, the loss stings in a game where their offense moved the ball well but couldn’t capitalize on key moments down the stretch. The Wolfpack had opportunities late, but Virginia Tech’s defense stepped up when it mattered most. For the Hokies, this is a win to build on — not only snapping a close-game drought but also injecting confidence into a team fighting to finish the season strong.
