NC State comes into Saturday’s matchup with Vanderbilt carrying plenty of confidence after last weekend’s demolition of Richmond, and the Wolfpack’s formula for another win starts with the same place it did then: quarterback play.
CJ Bailey set the tone in that 73-0 rout, a game that saw NC State score the most points at Carter-Finley Stadium since 1920 while piling up 734 total yards. Bailey was sharp before his night ended at halftime, finishing 13-of-17 for 281 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 25 yards and another score. After the game, Dave Doeren praised the way his quarterback handled the offense.
“He played on time; he was accurate,” Doeren said. “He did some things with his legs when he needed to.
He took care of the football. I thought he played a really clean, good football game today.”
That kind of command will matter again this week, especially with Vanderbilt bringing a new name to the forefront. Clark Lea said freshman quarterback Jared Curtis will start against NC State, and Doeren made it clear the Wolfpack aren’t walking in blind this time.
“I thought we fixed it,” he said. We have film on their offense with these quarterbacks playing in it. You have a better feeling for how they’re going to use them.”
Curtis is a dual-threat quarterback, but NC State has already seen what happens when it gets caught flat-footed. Beau Pribula ran for 110 yards against the Wolfpack in Week 0, and the defense will be determined not to let another quarterback debut turn into a problem.
That puts even more pressure on NC State’s front seven, where players like captain Popo Agguire and Harvey Dyson III are expected to help create heat on Curtis and make his first start a rough one.
Offensively, the Wolfpack also have another weapon that can tilt the game: Will Wilson. In red zone situations, Wilson gives NC State a different look, and he showed exactly why against Richmond by accounting for four touchdowns, three of them on the ground. At 6-foot-1 and 270 pounds, he’s the team’s heaviest ball carrier, and when he gets a full head of steam, he’s difficult to stop from finishing drives.
Then there’s Duke Scott, who didn’t need a heavy workload to leave a mark last week. He touched the ball just nine times but turned that into 128 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
His burst helped jump-start the offense, and NC State will need that same spark against a Vanderbilt defense that ranked in the top six in the SEC last season in run prevention. Even so, Scott’s speed, vision, and tackle-breaking ability give the Wolfpack another real edge.
NC State and Vanderbilt kick off at 12:45 PM on Sept. 19 on the SEC Network.
In Other News...
NC States Depth Chart Just Raised A Bigger Question Before Vanderbilt
NC States first official depth chart for Vanderbilt arrived with the kind of quiet offensive continuity coaches usually like, but the defense and special teams brought a few notable wrinkles. Bailey Benson has moved into the starting WILL linebacker spot, two true freshmen linebackers have been added to the chart, and Jaren Sensabaugh is listed as a starting cornerback, all signs that the Wolfpack is still sorting out pieces on that side of the ball as the opener approaches.
The special teams picture is just as worth watching. Jonathan Paylor now shows up as a kickoff return option, while the kickoff specialist job is still unsettled with Nick Konieczynski and Drew Lovelace competing for the role. For a team trying to settle in before facing Vanderbilt, those are the kinds of late-August decisions that can hint at how much is still open beneath the surface. [Read more 🡒]
NC States Frontcourt May Ride On One Crucial Preseason Decision
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The only question hanging over it is whether he will actually be available when the season opens. Lubins status depends on a temporary restraining order tied to NCAA eligibility rules, leaving one of NC States most important preseason decisions unresolved for now. Until that is sorted out, the Wolfpack can plan around his experience, but they cannot fully count on it. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Paylor Just Gave NC State A Reason To Wonder
Jonathan Paylors 51-yard run against Richmond was the kind of burst that reminds everyone why NC State was so eager to get him on campus in the first place. The four-star back has had a long road back after the torn ACL that wiped out his 2025 season, and this was one of the clearest signs yet that he is moving closer to the player the Wolfpack expected when they recruited him.
Paylor has spent the past two years fighting to get back to full speed after limited action, and he is still working his way up the depth chart as a backup in the backfield. Dave Doeren pointed to the run as a confidence boost, which makes sense for a player trying to rebuild both his form and his rhythm. The bigger question now is how quickly that momentum can turn into a larger role. [Read more 🡒]