I don’t think Thursday was Isaiah Shirley’s birthday, but in any case, he’s not one to turn down a gift. His pass rush on the play that resulted in the interception was a bit of serendipitous peek-a-boo, as he emerged around the offensive line just as Robby Ashford was putting the ball in the air, and he did an excellent job adjusting to the surprising appearance of the football right in front of him.
Naturally, he very nearly had the turf monster get him in the instant he realized he was about to score, but this just underscores why we love our big men and their big man touchdowns. They are beautiful and dramatic.
The slightly smaller Hollywood Smothers had the best game of his young career running the ball, affording NC State’s offense a huge luxury on the road. Being able to lean on an effective ground game makes such a huge difference, not only in keeping the offense on schedule, but putting CJ Bailey in a position to cook.
Smothers has 380 rushing yards through three games, and has had at least 75 rushing yards in six straight dating back to 2024. He’s averaging six yards per carry.
