NC State Dominates Richmond in 73-0 Rout at Carter-Finley Stadium (9-11-26)
By: Darrell Owens
Headline Photo Credit: Liam Morningstar-LMS Network
RALEIGH, N.C. — September 11, 2026 — Richmond entered Friday night’s matchup with North Carolina State riding a perfect 2-0 start and hoping to make a statement against an FBS opponent.
Instead, the Spiders ran into an offensive avalanche.
NC State overwhelmed Richmond from the opening kickoff, rolling to a 73-0 victory Friday night at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Wolfpack scored touchdowns on their first six possessions and built a commanding 49-0 halftime lead before cruising through the second half.
The result ended Richmond’s bid for its first 3-0 start to a season since 2011 and gave NC State a much-needed bounce-back victory following its season-opening loss to Virginia.
Wolfpack Strike Early and Often
NC State wasted little time establishing control.
Davion Gause opened the scoring with a 19-yard touchdown run, and moments later Duke Scott broke loose for a 65-yard touchdown, giving the Wolfpack a 14-0 advantage less than five minutes into the game.
Scott added another touchdown later in the first quarter, a 7-yard run that capped an 86-yard drive and pushed NC State’s lead to 21-0.
By the end of the opening quarter, Richmond was already facing a three-touchdown deficit.
The Wolfpack continued pouring it on in the second quarter. Quarterback CJ Bailey scored on a 1-yard keeper before backup quarterback Will Wilson added a rushing touchdown. Bailey then connected with Preston Douglas for a 15-yard touchdown pass, and Wilson scored again just before halftime.
NC State headed into the locker room with a 49-0 advantage.
Scott, Bailey Lead the Way
Scott was one of the biggest difference-makers of the night.
The NC State running back finished with 128 rushing yards and two touchdowns, all coming in the first half. His 65-yard touchdown run immediately demonstrated the explosiveness of the Wolfpack’s ground game.
Bailey was equally efficient through the air. The quarterback completed 13 of 17 passes for 281 yards and a touchdown, while also adding a rushing touchdown.
Keenan Jackson provided another major contribution, catching four passes for 123 yards.
Overall, NC State finished with a staggering 734 yards of total offense, including 428 rushing yards and 306 passing yards.
Richmond Struggles to Generate Offense
For Richmond, it was a difficult night on both sides of the ball.
The Spiders managed just 110 total yards and six first downs against the Wolfpack defense. Quarterback Ashten Snelsire completed 8 of 23 passes for 76 yards and an interception.
Warrick Stephenson led Richmond’s rushing attack with 58 yards, while Michael Creamer recorded the team’s top receiving total with 23 yards.
The performance was a stark contrast to Richmond’s first two games of the season. The Spiders had entered the matchup having outscored Bucknell and Howard 48-0 in the first half, but NC State flipped that script immediately.
Lightning Delay Can’t Stop NC State
The game was briefly interrupted by a lightning delay early in the second quarter with NC State leading 28-0.
Play was suspended for approximately 90 minutes. When the teams returned to the field, the Wolfpack picked up right where they left off, scoring three more touchdowns before halftime. The unusual weather situation also resulted in no traditional halftime break and a shortened 10-minute fourth quarter.
A Night to Remember for NC State
The 73-point performance represented a historic offensive showing for the Wolfpack.
NC State’s 734 yards were a school record, while the 73 points marked the program’s highest scoring output since 1936. The Wolfpack also scored 10 touchdowns, its most in a game since 1919.
For head coach Dave Doeren, the victory was an emphatic response following NC State’s 34-8 loss to Virginia in the season opener.
The Wolfpack improved to 1-1 and continued their impressive home-opener record under Doeren, moving to 13-1 in home openers during his tenure.
What’s Next
Richmond will return home on September 19 to host Georgetown in Patriot League action.
NC State will hit the road the same day to face Vanderbilt, looking to carry the momentum from its dominant performance against the Spiders into its next FBS matchup.
Final
NC State 73, Richmond 0
The Spiders simply couldn’t slow down the Wolfpack, as NC State controlled the game from start to finish and delivered one of the most dominant performances of the early 2026 college football season.
