How Rare are Top-10 Wins? NC State’s Win Over Georgia Tech was the 14th in Program History

NC State upset Georgia Tech 48-36 this past Saturday night in Carter-Finley Stadium, when the Yellow Jackets were ranked 8th in the AP Poll.

In the big scheme of things, how big of a deal is a win over a Top-10 team?

NC State has played 78 games against Top-10 teams, and Saturday night’s victory over Georgia Tech was only the 14th Top-10 victory in the history of the program

NC State vs. Top-10 Opponents (14-63-1)

1938 L A Duke (NR/4) 0-7
1938 L H Carnegie Tech (NR/6) 0-14
1939 L A UNC (NR/9) 0-17
1939 L H Duke (NR/8) 0-28
1940 L A Duke (NR/3) 6-42
1941 L H Duke (NR/3) 6-55
1943 L H Duke (NR/9) 0-75
1948 L A UNC (NR/1) 0-14
1950 W A Maryland (NR/8) 16-13
1951 L A Maryland (NR/5) 0-53
1952 L H Duke (NR/5) 0-57
1957 T H Duke (11/4) 14-14
1958 W A UNC (NR/10) 21-14
1961 L A Alabama (NR/3) 7-26
1964 L A Alabama (NR/3) 0-21
1965 L A Florida (NR/9) 6-28
1966 L A Michigan State (NR/2) 10-28
1966 L H Florida (NR/8) 10-17
1967 W A Houston (NR/2) 16-6
1969 L H Penn State (NR/3) 8-33
1971 L A Penn State (NR/5) 3-35
1972 L A Penn State (NR/10) 22-37
1973 L A Nebraska (14/2) 14-31
1973 L A Penn State (NR/6) 29-35
1974 W H Penn State (NR/7) 12-7
1975 W A Penn State (NR/8) 15-14
1976 L H Maryland (NR/7) 6-16
1977 L A Clemson (NR/20) 3-7
1977 L H Penn State (NR/9) 17-21
1978 L A Penn State (NR/2) 10-19
1980 L A UNC (15/8) 8-28
1980 L A Penn State (NR/10) 13-21
1981 L H UNC (NR/4) 10-21
1981 L A Clemson (NR/4) 7-17
1981 L H Penn State (NR/6) 15-22
1982 L A Penn State (NR/7) 0-54
1983 L H UNC (NR/3) 14-42
1984 L H S. Carolina (5) 28-35
1987 W A Clemson (NR/7) 30-28
1988 W H Clemson (NR/9) 10-3
1990 L A Virginia (NR/2) 0-31
1992 L H Florida St. (16/3) 13-34
1993 L A Florida St. (NR/2) 3-62
1994 L H Florida St. (25/8) 3-34
1995 L A Florida St. (NR/1) 17-77
1996 L H Florida St. (NR/3) 17-51
1996 L H Alabama (NR/8) 19-24
1996 L A UNC (NR/8) 20-52
1997 L H UNC (NR/4) 7-20
1997 L A Florida St. (NR/3) 35-48
1998 W H Florida St. (NR/2) 24-7
1999 L A Florida State (NR/1) 11-42
1999 L A Ga Tech (NR/7) 21-48
2000 L A Clemson (NR/5) 27-34
2000 L H Florida State (21/6) 14-58
2001 W A Florida St. (NR/10) 34-28
2001 L H Maryland (NR/10) 19-23
2003 L A Ohio St. 3OT (24/3) 38-44
2004 L H Ohio State (NR/9) 14-22
2004 L H Miami (NR/3) 31-45
2005 L H Virginia Tech (NR/8) 16-20
2005 W A Florida State (NR/9) 20-15
2011 W H Clemson (NR/7) 37-13
2012 W H Florida St. (NR/3) 17-16
2013 L H Clemson (NR/3) 14-26
2013 L A Florida St. (NR/2) 17-49
2014 L H Florida State (NR/1) 41-56
2015 L H Clemson (NR/3) 41-56
2016 L A Clemson OT (NR/3) 17-24
2016 L A Louisville (NR/7) 13-54
2017 L A Notre Dame (14/9) 14-35
2017 L H Clemson (20/6) 31-38
2018 L A Clemson (16/3) 7-41
2019 L H Clemson (NR/5) 10-55
2021 W H Clemson 2OT (NR/9) 27-21
2022 L A Clemson (10/5) 20-30
2023 L H Notre Dame (NR/10) 24-45
2025 W H Georgia Tech (NR/8) 48-36

Wolfpack Head Coach Record vs. Top-10

Dave Doeren: 2-12
Tom O’Brien: 2-0
Chuck Amato: 2-7
Mike O’Cain:  1-10
Dick Sheridan: 2-2
Tom Reed: 0-2
Monte Kiffin: 0-6
Bo Rein: 0-4
Lou Holtz: 2-3
Al Michaels: 0-1
Earle Edwards: 2-6-1
Horace Hendrickson: 0-1
Beattie Feathers: 1-2
Williams Newton: 0-7