NC State advanced to 8-3 (7-3 ACC) with a 23-13 win over Georgia Tech Saturday in Carter-Finley Stadium.

Here is the best and worst from the Wolfpack's win over the Yellow Jackets:

Senior wide receiver Emeka Emezie didn't find the end zone Saturday, but he made several big plays down the stretch to be deserving of "best player" honors.

Emezie reeled in six receptions for 91 yards and drew multiple defensive pass interference penalties in the second half to help lead the Pack to victory. Saturday may have been Emezie's last game in Carter-Finley Stadium, but the senior pass-catcher has yet to decide on his future plans following the season.

After a disappointing junior season, Emezie led the team with 42 receptions for 694 yards this fall, 118 more than he had in 12 games in 2019.

Redshirt sophomore linebacker Payton Wilson once again led the Wolfpack with 11 tackles Saturday to finish with 108 for the season, the most in the ACC.

Wilson made his presence felt early with a seven-yard sack on Georgia Tech quarterback Jeff Sims on the Yellow Jackets' second drive of the game. Sims dropped back to pass on first-and-10 from the Georgia Tech 38-yard line and was promptly met by a blitzing Wilson.

The Wolfpack finished the night with three sacks and five quarterback hurries.

Leading 17-7 midway through the second quarter, NC State faced third-and-five from the Georgia Tech 43-yard line.

Redshirt junior quarterback Bailey Hockman dropped back to pass and thread the needle to find redshirt sophomore receiver Devin Carter, who made an equally-impressive catch, in double coverage for a 36-yard completion to put the Pack inside the Yellow Jackets 10-yard line.

The completion tied for the second-longest offensive play of the night and Hockman finished with a second-consecutive 300-yard performance. Saturday marked Hockman's first start of his career without throwing at least one interception.

With 7:18 remaining in the second quarter, NC State took over at its own 35-yard line after forcing Georgia Tech to turnover on downs in the previous play.

NC State went with a pass play on first down, and Hockman was forced to scramble left under pressure. He threw the ball to Emezie, who was closing in toward the left sideline and found a way to keep one foot in bounds to make the catch for a 17-yard gain.

The impressive catch sparked an eight-play, 62-yard drive that ended with a field goal to give the Pack a 20-7 lead in the final moments of the fourth quarter.

In the first play of the second quarter, junior running back Ricky Person Jr. rushed for a 20-yard touchdown that was NC State's longest run play of the night.

Person avoided a tackle at the Georgia Tech 16-yard line that would've held him to just a four-yard gain. He then accelerated to avoid a second Yellow Jackets defender inside the 10 before diving over the pylon into the end zone for the first touchdown of the game.

Person led the Pack with 59 yards on 15 carries for one score in the win.

Junior placekicker Christopher Dunn nailed a 39-yard attempt to give the Pack a 23-13 lead, effectively icing the game with 3:31 remaining.

The kick gave Dunn a season-high three makes in the win Saturday and gave him his 56th career make, marking a new program record.

Redshirt junior receiver Thayer Thomas returned a Georgia Tech punt 17 yards inside of Georgia Tech territory midway through the fourth quarter, but the play was mitigated by a questionable illegal block call against freshman nickel Joshua Pierre-Paul.

There was an offsetting penalty on Georgia Tech that gave the Pack possession at the NC State 34-yard line, which ultimately led to a nine-play, 59-yard drive.

For the third time this season, junior safety Tanner Ingle was ejected for a targeting penalty.

On the first drive of the second half, Georgia Tech quarterback Jeff Sims scrambled for 10 yards to pick up a first down on third-and-10. Sims slid at the last minute and Ingle wasn't able to stop his momentum before colliding with the defenseless Yellow Jackets quarterback head first.

Ingle also missed four games due to injury this fall and played just his second complete game of the year in the 36-29 win over Syracuse two Saturdays ago.

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