NC State needed a response after last week’s deflating loss at No. 14 Miami. What the Wolfpack delivered Friday night at Doak Campbell Stadium was a gritty, opportunistic performance capped by a dagger of a touchdown in the final two minutes — and a reminder that in college football, special teams can decide everything.
Justin Joly’s fourth-down touchdown catch with 1:47 remaining sealed NC State’s 21–11 win over Florida State, a victory that made the Wolfpack bowl eligible for the 11th time under 13th-year head coach Dave Doeren. It also marked NC State’s fourth straight win in the series against the Seminoles.
But the storyline was less about the touchdown than the mistakes that set it up.
Trailing 14–11, Florida State forced an NC State punt near midfield with under four minutes to play. What should’ve been a routine change of possession turned catastrophic — the exact word Seminoles coach Mike Norvell used afterward.
Caden Noonkester’s short kick bounced off the helmet of FSU blocker K.J. Kirkland and ricocheted backward nearly 25 yards, where Noonkester himself pounced on it near the original line of scrimmage. NC State retained possession with 3:53 left.
Unbelievably, Florida State forced another punt on the ensuing series… only for disaster to strike again.
Returner Squirrel White muffed the catch, the ball bouncing directly into the arms of NC State’s Tra Thomas with 2:21 to play. Four plays later, quarterback C.J. Bailey — who threw two touchdowns on the night — found Joly on fourth down for the backbreaking score and a 21–11 lead.
NC State’s battered secondary entered the game thin, but cornerback Devon Marshall delivered a star-making performance. The sophomore finished with two interceptions and five pass breakups, anchoring a defense that allowed just one touchdown all night.
The Wolfpack defense set the tone early and consistently stymied Florida State’s rhythm, holding the Seminoles to a single field goal over the first three quarters and just 11 points overall.
Offensively, NC State found its footing with a bruising, clock-draining drive in the third quarter. The 15-play march consumed nearly nine minutes and ended with Will Wilson bulldozing in on a 1-yard keeper to push the lead to 14–3.
Florida State’s lone touchdown came on a 9-yard pass from Thomas Castellanos to Duce Robinson midway through the fourth quarter. But it only temporarily narrowed the deficit — and the Seminoles’ late miscues overshadowed the brief momentum.
The loss extended a troubling trend for Florida State, which fell to 3–13 in ACC play since the start of last season. At 5–6 overall and 2–6 in conference play, the Seminoles now face a must-win scenario next week to avoid missing a bowl game for the first time since 2020.
The evening also included a moment of concern when a Florida State player went down near the tunnel as the team exited the field. Wolfpack cheerleaders took a knee as medical staff rushed in with a cart, but Norvell reported afterward that the player was able to get up and walk out for further evaluation.
For NC State (6–5, 3–4 ACC), the performance was a critical rebound.
Just three weeks removed from handing No. 15 Georgia Tech its lone loss of the season, the Wolfpack looked flat in their Miami defeat. But they responded Friday with resolve, timely defense, and enough offense to survive a tense fourth quarter.
Most importantly, they are bowl eligible once again — a testament to the program’s consistency under Doeren.
Florida State: The Seminoles close the regular season on Nov. 29 against in-state rival Florida in Gainesville, needing a win to reach bowl eligibility.
NC State: A rivalry showdown awaits as North Carolina visits Raleigh on Nov. 29, with the Wolfpack seeking a third straight victory over the Tar Heels.
