NC State is treating Friday night’s home opener like a reset button.
After a rough 34-8 loss at Virginia, the Wolfpack are heading into Carter-Finley with a clear message from inside the building: fix the offense, and fast. The numbers from Charlottesville told the story. NC State was outgained 413-168, ran for only 76 yards compared with Virginia’s 258, and had the ball for just under 22 minutes.
Head coach Dave Doeren said quarterback CJ Bailey is taking that performance hard.
"He's pissed off at the world just like I am," Doeren said of CJ Bailey this week. "He's a competitive dude.
He owned it after the game, which you would expect. And like I told him, all you can do now is go make up for it and get back to the basics… I have no doubt he'll bounce back in a big way."
The response has not been limited to the quarterback. Offensive coordinator Kurt Roper pointed directly at the run game and put the responsibility on himself.
"When you look at that, critiquing myself, the running back didn't get the football enough - plain and simple," Roper said. "That never changes in any game. You've got to be able to run for them."
Duke Scott echoed that sentiment and made it clear he wants the chance to answer it on the field.
"Extremely personal," Scott said. "That's my fault, and I take ownership in it, because we have to fix it. Right now that's my résumé - that we can't run the ball - so I'm ready to prove that wrong."
That’s the challenge in front of NC State this week: turn the page on Week 1 and show something cleaner, sharper and more balanced against Richmond. The Spiders arrive 2-0 and ranked No. 23 in the FCS coaches poll, so this is not a total walkover. Still, it’s an FBS team at home against an FCS opponent, and anything less than a controlled, corrected performance would land badly.
Carter-Finley should help. The setting gives NC State a chance to settle in, find a rhythm and give its offense something usable to build on. The passing game also needs a spark, especially from a receiving group that is still coming together.
"It's a start. It's a new group in a lot of ways, but that's part of it," Roper said of the way the wideouts performed at UVA.
"You go in, you watch the tape, you make the corrections, and you go from there. I thought guys at times got themselves open.
At times they got covered - and that's football."
NC State opened a rebuilt offense on the road in a conference game and is already trying to catch up in September. That makes Friday less about style points and more about putting together four full quarters the offense can actually build on.
In Other News...
NC State Fans Will Love Drake Thomas Latest Statement Against Drake Maye
Drake Thomas keeps finding his way into big moments against Drake Maye, and Sunday was another one. The former NC State linebacker was all over the field for the Seattle Seahawks in their 13-10 win over the New England Patriots, finishing with 9 tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hit while helping slow down a quarterback Wolfpack fans know well.
It was Thomass fourth career win over Maye, a run that now stretches from two college victories at NC State to two NFL wins in Seattle, including the recent Super Bowl LX. For an undrafted player in 2023 who has carved out a real role with the Seahawks, it was another reminder of how far his game has come, and a fresh reason for NC State fans to keep tabs on him after he finished the 2025 season with strong defensive numbers and landed a two-year extension. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Unveils A Tribute Uniform For A Powerful Anniversary
NC State will take the field against Richmond in a special black camo Wolfpack Warriors uniform, a one-game tribute tied to the 25th anniversary of 9/11. The look is part of Adidas Honor & Support series and is meant to reflect both the programs military heritage and North Carolinas long military tradition.
The uniform includes crossed swords and an American flag, along with seven stars symbolizing major military installations across the state. It is the kind of alternate that carries more weight than style alone, a reminder that some game-day reveals are built to honor something far bigger than football. [Read more 🡒]
NC States First Justin Gainey Schedule Brings Early Tests Fans Will Judge
NC States first regular-season schedule under new coach Justin Gainey is now set, and it gives Wolfpack fans an immediate read on how this new era is going to be tested. The 32-game slate includes 18 home dates, a trip to the Baha Mar Championship and a non-conference mix that does not look shy about bringing in quality opposition.
The early challenge is underscored by three SEC matchups and a marquee meeting with North Carolina in the inaugural Tobacco Road Classic. That game carries extra weight because it will be the first regular-season meeting between NC State and UNC in Greensboro since 1979, giving the Wolfpack a spotlight game with history attached before the grind of league play fully takes hold. [Read more 🡒]