A new chapter starts in Raleigh on Saturday, and it comes with a very different look for NC State.
For the first time since 2012, the Wolfpack will take the field without Dave Doeren on the sideline when they host Cal. Doeren was dismissed last Saturday, one day after NC State’s 31-28 loss at Stanford dropped the Wolfpack to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in ACC play. Todd Goebbel, an eighth-year assistant, steps in as interim coach.
Goebbel said the players have helped steady things through the shift in leadership.
"I told the leadership council (Monday), I said, 'The reason I have so much confidence is because of the players,'" Goebbel said. "The players have been unbelievable in support. They've been unbelievable in showing up and being who they are."
The coaching change was tied in part to a defense that had slipped badly from the standard NC State built under Doeren. The Wolfpack are 14th among 17 ACC teams in scoring defense, allowing 28.1 points per game.
They have given up 16 passing touchdowns, which is second most in the league, and have only three interceptions. Defensive coordinator DJ Eliot was also fired.
Cal arrives with some of its own issues after a rough finish last week at then-No. 23 SMU.
The Golden Bears led 20-17 at halftime but were overwhelmed in the second half, getting outscored 42-0 in a 59-20 loss. That marked Cal’s fourth defeat in its last five games.
The Bears’ offense has had trouble finishing drives and sits 15th in the ACC with 23.4 points per game. Coach Tosh Lupoi didn’t sugarcoat the second-half collapse.
"There's no victory lap of playing as well as we did for a half," Cal coach Tosh Lupoi said.
Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is back in the starting role after dealing with a concussion earlier this month and some back-and-forth at the position. Against SMU, he threw for 265 yards, but he still hasn’t matched the form he showed as a freshman last year, when he piled up 3,454 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
"I just think we've got to continue to get better, and that starts with me evading pressure," Sagapolutele said after the SMU game. "I've got to know where to throw the ball when it gets a little heated up."
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Uvwos visit gave Cal a chance to sell more than just playing time. He noted the Bears development plan for him, a point that matters for a prospect with major-program options and plenty of suitors already in the picture. With several blueblood-level programs still involved and a decision expected soon, Cal has positioned itself as a legitimate contender for a commitment that would carry real weight for the programs next phase. [Read more 🡒]
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For Madsen, the first real test is less about the opponent than the chemistry. An early-season game like this offers a chance to build rhythm, settle roles and start turning optimism into something more tangible, especially with a roster that is still getting used to playing together. Cal does not need a finished product in November, but it does need signs that the new-look group is beginning to move in the same direction. [Read more 🡒]
Tosh Lupoi Is Pushing Cal's Locker Room To Change This Season
With Cal sitting at 3-5 heading into its matchup with NC State, Tosh Lupoi is spending as much time on the locker room as the game plan. The first-year head coach has been talking openly about the need for better leadership and more consistent performance, and he has made it clear that the change he wants has to come from inside the room as much as from the sideline.
Lupoi has pointed to player leadership as a key part of that reset, asking veterans to help set the tone for a team trying to steady itself during a difficult stretch. He is also navigating his first season as a head coach with help from general manager Ron Rivera, who has been a mentor and sounding board as Lupoi works through the challenges of building something more durable in Berkeley. [Read more 🡒]