Memories Aplenty in Hokies-Wolfpack Series

Virginia Tech enters conference play this weekend in Raleigh, NC, against a familiar foe in North Carolina State. This will be the 53rd matchup between the two schools, with the Hokies leading the series 28-20-4. 

The teams played each other frequently from 1900 to 1964, but didn’t meet in the modern era until the 1986 Peach Bowl. Starting with that game, the teams have played 13 times (8-4-1 in favor of the Hokies), with nine of them settled by one score. 

Let’s take a walk down memory lane at these modern-era games, which featured drama, comebacks, stellar defense and special teams heroics.

December 31, 1986 - Atlanta, GA (Peach Bowl)

Virginia Tech 25 - NC State 24

On a chilly, overcast day in Atlanta, Virginia Tech earned its first‐ever bowl victory in dramatic fashion, edging NC State by a point thanks to a 40-yard field goal by Pulaski County’s Chris Kinzer as time expired. 

Down by two, Tech started at its own 20-yard line with 1:53 remaining, with their drive kept alive by a Maurice Williams "cramp" that stopped the clock, and an NC State pass interference with 4 seconds left to set up the Kinzer heroics. 

The Hokies’ 77-yard run by Maurice Williams early on set a Peach Bowl/Chick-fil-A Bowl record for the longest play from scrimmage. Solid rushing by both Williams and Eddie Hunter (113 yards) kept Virginia Tech, who erased a 21-10 halftime deficit, in the game. NC State claimed that lead in the second quarter on a couple of TD passes by Erik Kramer.

Fun Facts: Lee Corso, in his first year out of coaching, was the color commentator for this game (see the video below). This was also Bill Dooley’s last game as Virginia Tech football coach.

November 18, 1989 - Raleigh, NC

Virginia Tech 25 - NC State 23

Cornerback Roger Brown had two interceptions, including a 55-yard pick-six, and Rodd Wooten stepped in at QB and delivered a win to cap a 6-4-1 season for Virginia Tech. After spotting the Wolfpack a 10-0 lead on a cool sunny day in Raleigh, the Hokies’ defense took control. First, defensive lineman Al Chamblee sacked State QB Shane Montgomery, causing a fumble that was recovered by Bryan Campbell. That led to a Tony Kennedy 3-yard TD run, which was then followed by Brown’s heroics. 

The Hokie defense didn’t let up, holding NC State to five punts and an interception (Brown's second of the day) in the second half before allowing a late Wolfpack TD to account for the final score. Wooten, who was filling in for Will Furrer and Cam Young (both injured), was 9-16 for 146 yards in the win.

November 3, 1990 - Blacksburg, VA

Virginia Tech 20 - NC State 16

The Hokies spotted NC State a 16-7 lead before scoring two second half touchdowns and stealing a victory in Blacksburg. 

Bo Campbell and Nick Cullen got the most action in the passing game, but it was 6'5" Hokie basketball player John Rivers who spurred Tech's second-half comeback, grabbing a jump ball from Will Furrer in the end zone with 6:11 left in the third quarter. Rivers had already drawn two pass interference penalties earlier in the drive. A gutsy fourth & goal call by Coach Beamer led to a game-winning TD by Tony Kennedy from the one-yard-line, capping an eight+ minute drive with 6:50 left in the game and Tech’s defense held from there.

September 7, 1991 - Raleigh, NC

NC State 7 - Virginia Tech 0

This game featured 18 punts, seven interceptions and four fumbles lost, and had it been televised, it would've assuredly been in black-and-white. Virginia Tech quarterback Will Furrer had five of the game’s seven picks, but two Hokie fumbles inside NC State’s 10-yard line (Marcus Mickel and Tony Kennedy) were also costly turnovers in a game settled by one score. 

This contest was the start of a brutal stretch of five road games for Virginia Tech that featured games against the Wolfpack, South Carolina, #6 Oklahoma, West Virginia and #1 Florida State.

October 17, 1992 - Blacksburg, VA

Virginia Tech 13 - NC State 13

In a 2-8-1 season in which Virginia Tech squandered a 4th quarter lead nearly every week, the Hokies found a new way to do it on this cool, sunny October day. Steve Videtich’s last second, 37-yard game-winning field goal attempt was partially-blocked by the Hokies' Kirk Alexander. Somehow the ball kept fluttering limply through the air, finally finding its way through the uprights, grazing the crossbar and the hearts of the 43,628 fans in attendance.

Starting quarterback Maurice DeShazo went down with an injury early, forcing Treg Koel into the game. Koel went 9-14 for 109 yards and a TD to Antonio Freeman. Tech leaned on Tony Kennedy at RB with Vaughn Hebron nursing an injury as well. This was the last tie game in Virginia Tech history, with overtime being introduced a few years later in 1996.

September 25, 2004 - Blacksburg, VA

NC State 17 - Virginia Tech 16

In the Hokies' second-ever ACC game, they struggled to get things going offensively against a very talented Wolfpack defense led by future #1 overall pick Mario Williams. Six Virginia Tech drives went for negative yardage, and QB Bryan Randall was sacked an astounding 10 times. Despite getting to the NC State red zone five times, Virginia Tech walked away with just one TD and four FG attempts (three made). 

Despite all of that, Tech had a chance at the end, but Brandon Pace's 43-yard field goal attempt was wide right by inches as time expired.

September 4, 2005 - Raleigh, NC

Virginia Tech 20 - NC State 16

In the 2005 season opener, the #8 Hokies held on against a stout NC State team in what was Marcus Vick’s first start at quarterback. Despite giving up 311 passing yards to the Wolfpack’s Jay Davis, the Tech defense forced the Wolfpack to settle for field goals three times. The Hokies also benefited from 12 Wolfpack penalties for 105 yards, as well as an Eddie Royal punt return that set up a Vick to David Clowney 19-yard TD for the deciding score in the fourth quarter. Mike Imoh led the Hokies on the ground with 56 yards and a touchdown.

November 21, 2009 - Blacksburg, VA

Virginia Tech 38 - NC State 10

Virginia Tech dominated this game in Blacksburg. The Hokies forced turnovers early and broke the game open with strong rushing, efficient passing, and solid defense. NC State struggled to mount any sustained offense. The Wolfpack's QB Russell Wilson had a decent statistical day (15-26, 234 yards), but turnovers and stalled drives were their undoing. 

Tech's defense really tightened the screws in the second half. After both Hokie third quarter touchdowns, the defense turned the Wolfpack over, the final being a Kam Chancellor interception of his future Seattle Seahawk teammate Wilson.

Hokie freshman running back Ryan Willilams had 32 carries for 120 yards and four touchdowns, including his iconic dragging of an NC State defender the final ten yards of a touchdown run. Linebacker Cody Grimm forced three of NC State's four fumbles.

October 2, 2010 - Raleigh, NC

Virginia Tech 41 - NC State 30

The Hokies rallied from a 17-0 deficit behind strong running by Darren Evans (15 carries, 160 yards, 2 TDs) and three Jayron Hosley interceptions of Russell Wilson. 

David Wilson's 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half was a big catalyst as well, as it narrowed the score to 17-14. Trailing 30-28 late, Tyrod Taylor found Jarret Boykin for a 39-yard go-ahead touchdown, and Hosley's final pick of Wilson on the next play from scrimmage set up an Evans TD run to seal the game for the Hokies. Wilson finished with 362 yards passing, but the three picks were fatal for the Wolfpack’s chances.

October 9, 2015 - Blacksburg, VA

Virginia Tech 28 - NC State 13

Subbing for a still-injured Michael Brewer (collarbone), Brenden Motley threw three second quarter touchdown passes, all to Isaiah Ford, and the Hokies cruised to victory. Led by Ken Ekanem, Mook Reynolds, Deon Clark and a host of Hokies, the defense gave up just one field goal in the second half and finished the game with four sacks and eleven tackles for loss. 

Travon McMillian iced the game in the fourth with a 59-yard touchdown run.

September 26, 2020 - Blacksburg, VA

Virginia Tech 45 - NC State 24

This was the Hokies’ season-opener due to COVID-related postponements. It's hard to draw too many conclusions about a game with dozens of players unavailable due to testing positive for COVID, the remaining players' sinuses repeatedly stabbed by cotton swabs, and a stadium empty save for a few hundred cardboard cutouts and a select few guests. Nevertheless, Virginia Tech buried this game early, jumping to a 31-7 lead and cruising from there. 

With quarterback Hendon Hooker out, Quincy Patterson II came off the bench and was a major factor, throwing two touchdown passes and running for a score. Patterson and Braxton Burmeister both played, and this game will be known by Hokie fans as "The Mustard Packet Game". Burmeister's mom brought mustard packets down to her son from the stands to help with his hand cramping. Seriously.

October 27, 2022 - Raleigh, NC

NC State 22 - Virginia Tech 21

What an odd game. The first half featured nine punts, one Tech fumble and an NC State field goal. The Hokies also committed five of their ten (!) false start penalties in the first quarter. 

But Grant Wells had arguably the best quarter of his Hokie career after halftime. Wells sandwiched two touchdown runs around an 85-yard touchdown pass to Kaleb Smith to give Virginia Tech an 18-point lead. Unfortunately for the Hokies, it was NC State quarterback MJ Morris’ turn to shine. En route to a 265-yard passing day, Morris responded with three second half touchdown passes in relief of Jack Chambers to cap the comeback for NC State and ruin the Hokies' upset bid.

November 18, 2023 Blacksburg, VA

NC State 35 - Virginia Tech 28

NC State won this battle in Blacksburg thanks largely to former UVa QB Brennan Armstrong. Armstrong was thrust back in the lineup after starting Wolfpack QB MJ Morris decided to redshirt with just a few weeks left in the season, and he took full advantage of the opportunity. He and all-everything receiver KC Concepcion threw, ran and caught their way to 408 yards of offense. 

For their part, the Hokies made some noise on offense. Kyron Drones was 17-30 for 225 yards, with 3 touchdowns and one interception. He also ran nine times for 51 yards. Unfortunately, no other player had more than two carries, including Bhayshul Tuten (2, -3 yards). And with NC State linebacker Payton Wilson (11 tackles, 3.5 for loss, 1 sack) lurking, the Hokies could never quite get over the hump.