NC State used its open week to reset, and the response was impossible to miss Friday night.
After the disappointment of a Week 0 loss to Virginia, the Wolfpack rolled past Richmond 73-0 and looked far sharper in every phase. Head coach Dave Doeren said the time off gave his team a chance to absorb the setback and move forward.
“I think everybody sat in there after underachieving two weeks ago and had a tough pill to swallow,” Doeren said. “You know, 14 days to have to eat it, and did a great job. And that's what you want.”
From the opening kickoff, NC State played like a team eager to make a statement. The offense found space early, and the offensive line consistently opened lanes for the running backs.
Duke Scott took full advantage. On his first carry of the game, he burst through the middle for 43 yards into Richmond territory. On the next series, he ripped off a 65-yard touchdown run after breaking a tackle.
“I happened to break a tackle, and it was off to the races,” Scott said.
By the time he headed back to the locker room for the 90-minute weather delay, Scott had already piled up 115 yards and two touchdowns. He finished with 128 yards and two scores on just nine carries.
When play resumed, NC State didn’t lose a step. Doeren said the group understood the need to keep pressing.
“We had a lot to prove,” Doeren said. “And just because we played good for a quarter and four minutes, I didn't care how long we sat in there. We needed to come out hungry.”
The Wolfpack answered with 45 more points after the lightning delay, and CJ Bailey settled in with a cleaner, more efficient night. Doeren praised the way he managed the game.
“He played on time; he was accurate,” Doeren said. “He did some things with his legs when he needed to.
He took care of the football. I thought he played a really clean, good football game today.”
Bailey’s night was done after the first half. He went 13-for-17 for 281 yards and a touchdown while adding 25 rushing yards and another score.
Will Wilson also turned in a four-touchdown performance against Richmond, with three of those scores coming on the ground. Doeren said the effort up front set the tone.
“I’m just proud of the way they played today,” Doeren said. “There’s a lot of things we can do better, but we were physical and played really hard up front.”
NC State finished with 734 total yards and eight rushing touchdowns, both school records.
“We did what we were supposed to do,” Doeren said. “We dominated the line of scrimmage.
Guys took care of the football. Defense got the ball back.
It was a dominant performance in every phase.”
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For a team looking to raise its ceiling, Paylors presence matters because he changes the kind of athlete NC State can put on the field and the way defenses have to prepare. Coach Dave Doeren has already pointed to how important the return is for both Paylor and the program, and the next question is how quickly that flash against Richmond turns into a more consistent role in the offense. [Read more 🡒]