In the Duke’s Mayo Classic at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday, the N.C. State Wolfpack faced a lopsided 51-10 defeat against the Tennessee Volunteers. This matchup marked the first top-25 clash between the two teams, with the 24th-ranked Wolfpack (1-0) being outplayed by the 14th-ranked Volunteers (1-0).
Tennessee demonstrated their potential as a College Football Playoff contender, while N.C. State struggled to compete at the same level. The Wolfpack’s last victory against a top-15 team away from Raleigh dates back to 2017 against Florida State. On the other hand, Tennessee, led by quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who contributed three touchdowns, became the first team to score 50 points against N.C. State since Clemson’s 55-point game in 2019.
The only touchdown for the Wolfpack came from Aydan White’s interception return in the second half. Tennessee, however, had an explosive performance with six touchdowns and three field goals, including two rushing touchdowns from Dylan Smothers, who amassed over 130 rushing yards.
Tennessee held a 20-3 lead at halftime, bolstered by a pick-six from Will Brooks in the second quarter. N.C. State’s Grayson McCall threw an interception that led to a 10-0 run for Tennessee to close out the first half.
N.C. State had previously secured a 38-21 win over Western Carolina in Week 1, with standout performances from wide receiver KC Concepcion. Meanwhile, Tennessee had an easy 69-3 victory over Chattanooga last week.
Live Game Highlights:
- 4th Quarter: Tennessee extended their lead to 50-10. Dylan Sampson’s 34-yard touchdown run early in the quarter pushed Tennessee’s score past 40 points.
- End of 3rd Quarter: Tennessee led 37-10. Aydan White’s interception return for a touchdown was the Wolfpack’s sole score, while Grayson McCall fumbled for the second time in the quarter.
- 3rd Quarter: Nico Iamaleava scored a 31-yard rushing touchdown, increasing Tennessee’s lead to 37-3. Max Gilbert added a field goal to extend the lead to 30-3.
- 2nd Quarter: Iamaleava connected with Miles Kitselman for a 15-yard touchdown pass, putting N.C. State in a 27-3 deficit. Max Gilbert made a 45-yard field goal, increasing Tennessee’s lead to 20-3.
- 1st Half: Tennessee’s Will Brooks returned an interception for a touchdown, extending the lead to 17-3. Earlier, Max Gilbert’s field goal made it 10-3, and Kanoah Vinesett’s 24-yard field goal cut the deficit to 7-3.
Despite their efforts, the Wolfpack could not keep up with the Volunteers, who showcased their dominance and depth throughout the game.
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