(BCSNN) - NC State capitalized on four Florida State turnovers and rode a historic defensive performance to secure a 21-11 victory under the Friday night lights at Carter-Finley Stadium. The win makes the Wolfpack bowl eligible for the sixth straight season and the 11th time in 13 years under head coach Dave Doeren. He now sits just one shy of the program record for consecutive bowl appearances, set between 1988–1994.

Punter Caden Noonkester delivered one of the most memorable sequences of the season in the fourth quarter. His punt ricocheted off a Seminole helmet and bounced backward 26 yards, allowing him to recover his own kick. Just four plays later, another punt was muffed and recovered by senior Tra Thomas at the Florida State 16-yard line, setting up a touchdown that sealed the game.

Senior cornerback Devon Marshall etched his name into Wolfpack history with six pass breakups, the most ever by an NC State defender. He also added two interceptions, becoming only the third player in school history to record at least five PBUs in a single game.

Quarterback CJ Bailey was efficient, completing 18 of 25 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns. His first scoring strike marked his 20th of the season, making him the first NC State quarterback to reach that milestone since Devin Leary in 2021.

Justin Joly continued to pace the receiving corps, hauling in five catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. Hollywood Smothers, the ACC’s leading rusher, added 84 yards on 21 carries, while short-yardage specialist Will Wilson chipped in a career-best 33 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Caden Fordham tied his career high with 15 tackles, maintaining his status as the nation’s leader among Power Four defenders. Redshirt freshman Assad Brown Jr. added a career-best 12 tackles and two interceptions, complementing Marshall’s standout night.

Marshall set the tone early, breaking up two passes and intercepting another on Florida State’s opening drive. The Wolfpack offense capitalized with a 25-yard touchdown grab by Terrell Anderson. The Seminoles managed only a 46-yard field goal in response, and a missed attempt later in the half kept NC State ahead 7-3 at the break.

Wilson powered a nine-minute, 79-yard drive in the third quarter, converting key short-yardage plays before punching in a one-yard score. Florida State cut the lead to three with a late touchdown and two-point conversion, but Joly’s fourth-quarter score on a gutsy 4th-and-6 call put the game out of reach.

Marshall fittingly ended the night with an interception on the final play, capping a defensive showcase that held Florida State to just 11 points. The victory moves NC State to 17-26 all-time against the Seminoles and 6-5 under Doeren. The Wolfpack now turn their attention to rival UNC, with kickoff set for Saturday, Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m. on the ACC Network