North Carolina State heads into the Gasparilla Bowl with something every college football program craves in December: momentum. Winners of three of their last four, including back-to-back victories to close out the regular season, the Wolfpack are eyeing a strong finish before the long offseason begins.
They’ll face a Memphis team in transition Friday afternoon in Tampa, and while bowl games are often about pageantry and celebration, this one carries a little extra weight for both programs - for very different reasons.
NC State Looking to Finish Strong
For head coach Dave Doeren and his Wolfpack squad, this game isn’t just about adding an eighth win to the ledger. It’s about setting the tone for 2026.
“It helps in the offseason,” Doeren said. “We’d love to finish four out of five. When you lose a game, you don’t get rid of that feeling until you play the next one - and that’s a long ways from now.”
That urgency is real. The Wolfpack (7-5) closed the regular season with wins over Florida State and North Carolina, two programs that, while not bowl-bound this year, still carry name-brand weight. Beating a team like Memphis - even one in flux - would be a fitting exclamation mark on a season that had its share of ups and downs.
Memphis Navigating Change
On the other sideline, Memphis (8-4) is trying to stop the bleeding after a winless November turned a once-promising season into a scramble for a positive finish. The Tigers, at one point in the College Football Playoff conversation, now find themselves trying to salvage a year that spiraled late.
Interim head coach Reggie Howard, who was the Tigers’ cornerbacks coach during the regular season, is stepping into the lead role for the first time after Ryan Silverfield departed to take over at Arkansas. That kind of late-season coaching change always creates uncertainty - both in preparation and in execution.
Howard, though, is focused on the task at hand. And he knows exactly who he has to worry about: NC State running back Hollywood Smothers.
“The kid is a home run guy,” Howard said. “Great speed, track speed. You’ve got to worry about that guy.”
Quarterback Questions and Bowl Motivation
For NC State quarterback CJ Bailey, this week is about more than just prepping for Memphis. It’s about soaking in the moment - and maybe making a decision about what’s next.
“I plan to go home and talk to my mom and my dad,” Bailey said, when asked about his future with the program. “Just relax and enjoy my time off.”
But before that, there’s business to handle.
“I’ve never won a bowl game before - I need one,” Bailey said. “The program needs a win. We need to try to find a way to bounce back from all those losses we had, and it’s going to start from right here.”
That sense of urgency is mirrored across the roster. For the Wolfpack, an early bowl game like this - before Christmas, no less - compresses the preparation window and adds a few logistical wrinkles. But Doeren’s staff is treating it like an extended bye week with a game at the end.
“Playing earlier is a different thing for us,” Doeren said. “It’s really expedited. It’s almost like a bye week and then a game getting ready.”
Scouting the Tigers
Memphis may be coming in on a cold streak, but don’t mistake that for a lack of talent.
Quarterback Brendon Lewis is the engine of the offense. He’s thrown for 15 touchdowns against six interceptions, and he’s just as dangerous with his legs - leading the team in rushing touchdowns (9) and, if you take away sack yardage, racking up 860 yards on the ground.
“This guy runs the ball a lot,” Doeren said. “QB draws, zone read, avoid, keeps - and he’s their leading rusher.”
Lewis isn’t doing it alone, either. Running back Sutton Smith has also eclipsed 600 rushing yards, giving Memphis a legitimate dual-threat ground game. And when Lewis looks to the air, his top target is Cortez Braham Jr., who’s hauled in 889 yards and eight scores.
The Tigers will be without reserve quarterback Arrington Maiden, who’s entering the transfer portal, but all eyes will be on Lewis anyway.
A First-Time Matchup With Familiar Threads
This will be the first-ever meeting between NC State and Memphis, but they do share a common opponent this season: East Carolina. The Wolfpack opened their season with a win over the Pirates, while Memphis stumbled against ECU in mid-November - a loss that helped derail their postseason hopes.
Still, Memphis is no stranger to bowl season. This marks their 12th straight appearance - the longest active streak among non-Power 4 programs. That kind of consistency speaks to the strength of the Tigers' program, even amid coaching turnover.
For NC State, the stakes are a little more personal. A win would even their all-time bowl record at 18-18. And the last time they played at Raymond James Stadium - back in 2014 - they walked away with a win over South Florida.
History, momentum, and a chance to finish the season on a high note - there’s plenty on the line in Tampa.