NC State found its footing after halftime and turned a tight game into a comfortable one, rolling past Cal 31-10 at home a week after firing head coach Dave Doeren.
The Wolfpack and Golden Bears were locked at 10 apiece at the break, but the second half belonged entirely to State. NC State scored 21 straight points after halftime to break the game open and move to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the ACC.
CJ Bailey gave the offense the spark it needed, finishing 13 of 25 for 192 yards and two touchdowns. He was especially sharp late, going 8 of 11 for 116 yards in the second half.
Davion Gause delivered the best outing of his NC State career, piling up 104 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. In the passing game, Chance Robinson led the Pack with four catches for 76 yards, while Victor Snow added four receptions for 48 yards.
The defense did its part, too, and Popo Aguirre was at the center of it. The linebacker piled up 16 tackles, including two for loss, as NC State held Cal scoreless in three of the four quarters. Freshman Ziggy Moore also made his presence felt with four tackles, one for loss, a sack and a pass breakup.
Even the hidden yards tilted toward the Wolfpack. Punter Jackson Waller was a steady weapon, booting six punts for a 46.3-yard average. He landed three kicks of 50 yards or more, including a 60-yarder, and pinned Cal inside the 20 twice.
In Other News...
NC State Just Gave Fans A New Reason To Debate This Team
The first game after a coaching change can tell you plenty about a team, and NC State offered a pretty clear snapshot in Raleigh. With Todd Goebbel taking over on an interim basis, the Wolfpack handled Cal 31-10 behind two touchdown passes from CJ Bailey and a defense that kept the Bears in check for most of the afternoon.
The game was tied 10-10 at halftime before NC State seized control with 21 unanswered points after the break, turning a tense spot into a comfortable finish. Cal managed just 269 total yards and dropped its third straight, while the Wolfpack left fans with a fresh argument about what this team might look like now that the reset has begun. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Finally Gave Wolfpack Fans A Response They Needed
After a sluggish opening half, NC State finally gave its fans the kind of response they had been waiting to see, flipping the game against Cal with a much sharper second-half effort on both sides of the ball. CJ Bailey settled in after the break, the offense found a rhythm, and the Wolfpack defense did its part by keeping Cal from building on its early edge.
The turnaround came at a good time for a team trying to steady itself after a rough stretch, and it was the sort of win that can change the mood around a program in a hurry. The Wolfpack did not look like a team searching for answers once the second half began, which is why this result felt bigger than a single victory and more like a needed reset. [Read more 🡒]
NC States Coaching Search Just Became A Risky Fan Dream
Philip Rivers has quickly become one of the most intriguing names in NC States coaching search, and for good reason. The former Wolfpack quarterback already has deep ties to the program, and his current role at St. Michael Catholic High School gives him a coaching rsum that feels familiar enough to spark real conversation while still leaving plenty of questions about how it would translate to the college game.
The appeal is obvious for a fan base that knows Rivers well, but the leap from high school sidelines to an FBS job is a massive one. NC State is weighing a search that could bring sentiment, familiarity and a built-in connection to the program into the mix, even as the risks of handing a major rebuild to someone without college head-coaching experience remain part of the conversation. [Read more 🡒]