NC State could be without key starters. Who’s questionable against Georgia Tech

RALEIGH

It’s been a tumultuous week — and season — for N.C. State football, with mounting injuries, tough losses and speculation about head coach Dave Doeren’s future. Things took another hit Friday.

The Wolfpack may be without running back Hollywood Smothers, one of its best players, this weekend when it hosts No. 8 Georgia Tech for homecoming. Smothers was listed as questionable on the first two iterations of the ACC availability report. Doeren, prior to the Friday report release, told ESPN that Smothers had not practiced this week and was expected to be a game-time decision Saturday.

Smothers is one of the most productive members of the team, offense or defense, and leads the ACC with 825 yards this season and 103.1 yards per game. The Charlotte native has scored six times, including a 65-yard rush last weekend against Pittsburgh.

Additionally, Smothers has provided 170 receiving yards and one touchdown.

Smothers was not the only notable player listed on the injury report. Safeties Ronnie Royal and JJ Johnson and tight end Justin Joly are questionable for Saturday.

Royal contributed 41 tackles, one pass breakup and one interception in eight appearances this fall. Johnson has added 15 tackles and one pass deflection in seven games played.

Joly, who hobbled into the end zone for a touchdown last week, accounted for 365 receiving yards and five touchdowns in the first eight games of the year. The senior was injured on the scoring play at Pittsburgh.

He was in obvious pain for the last 20 to 25 yards of his 59-yard double-pass play reception. His teammates helped him off the field. After being evaluated by the training staff and performing minor rehab activities on the sideline, Joly returned in the second half. He finished with six receptions, 101 yards and two touchdowns.

Meanwhile, freshman offensive lineman Spike Sowells is also listed as unavailable. Three safeties, in addition to Royal and Johnson, remain out, as does linebacker Sean Brown.

The Wolfpack hosts one of the best offenses in the nation, led by Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King.

The senior leads the team in rushing yards (651), passing yards (1,480) and total offense (2,131). His rushing yards rank third in the ACC, behind N.C. State’s Smothers (825) and Louisville’s Isaac Brown (652).

As a team, the Yellow Jackets average 229.8 rushing yards per game, with King running for 93 yards per outing. The senior has run for 100 yards in four games and passed for 200 in five.

Additionally, the senior has scored 12 rushing touchdowns, an ACC high and second best in the country, and a team-leading seven passing touchdowns.

N.C. State has lost two straight games and four of its last five. It looks for its first ranked win since Nov. 25, 2022, when the team upset then-No. 18 North Carolina, 30-27, in double overtime at Kenan Stadium. The Wolfpack is listed as a 5.5-point underdog and given a 28.9% chance of winning.