NC State escaped Saturday night with a win, but not much about the way it finished will make the Wolfpack feel settled heading into ACC play.
The Pack led Appalachian State by two touchdowns entering the fourth quarter, only to watch the game nearly slip away before pulling out a 38-31 victory in Raleigh, N.C. NC State improved to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the ACC, and while the offense again did enough to win, the late breakdowns left plenty of unease after the final non-conference game of the 2026 season.
The biggest issue was how the Wolfpack handled the closing stretch. For the second straight week, NC State built a three-score cushion and then let the opponent claw back.
This time, a CJ Bailey strip sack turned into an interception for Appalachian State and a touchdown that cut the lead to one score. Then came the kickoff disaster: App State recovered an onside kick after NC State was unprepared for it, winning the battle at the point of contact.
Three plays later, the Mountaineers tied it at 31 when the Wolfpack defense lost track of a tight end in the end zone after leaving a running back wide open for an 18-yard gain.
App State played like the team trying to steal the game. NC State played like the team trying not to lose it. That’s the part the Wolfpack can’t carry into ACC action.
The offense, though, kept humming. One week after a messy finish overshadowed an otherwise strong outing, Bailey and the Wolfpack came out aggressive again.
NC State scored touchdowns on four of its first six drives and produced four 60-plus-yard marches. Bailey started things with a rushing touchdown, then threw touchdown passes to Keenan Jackson and Ashton Locklear before halftime.
The production stayed steady all night. Duke Scott ran for 148 yards on 25 carries and scored twice, while Bailey finished with 253 passing yards and three total touchdowns. NC State has now put up 440-plus yards in three straight games, a sharp turnaround from its rough Week 0 showing in Charlottesville.
Now the schedule gets more serious. Louisville comes to Carter-Finley next Saturday, and that’s where the Wolfpack gets its first real chance to reset the tone of the season. The Cardinals had a speed bump Saturday against Wake Forest at home, and NC State has an opening if it can finally clean up the late-game sloppiness that’s followed it for two straight weeks.
The first four games have been uneven, but the path is still there. At 2-2, NC State has eight games left and a chance to make something of ACC play. The next step is simple: beat a Power Four opponent and stop giving games back late.
In Other News...
NC State Gets A Wake Forest Setup Fans Are Tired Of Seeing
NC States Week 6 trip to Wake Forest now has a familiar early start, with the ACC setting the game for noon on The CW. Its the kind of kickoff Wolfpack fans have seen far too often in conference play, the sort that turns a league matchup into a morning routine and leaves little room for any buildup once Saturday arrives.
The timing adds another layer to a game that already carries some recent history. NC State has won four of the last six meetings with Wake Forest, but the most recent home game in the series went the other way, and the Demon Deacons come in 3-1 under new coach Jake Dickert. For the Wolfpack, it is another chance to handle a rival that has given them problems in this spot before, even if the television slot is one they would probably rather avoid. [Read more 🡒]
NC States Louisville Game Plan Just Got Much More Complicated
Louisvilles preparation for NC State has taken an immediate turn, with head coach Jeff Brohm saying quarterback Lincoln Kienholz is a game-time decision after suffering an injury in the Cardinals recent loss. Kienholz has been an important part of Louisvilles offense, so his status adds a layer of uncertainty to a matchup the Wolfpack already had reason to study closely.
For NC State, the challenge now is less about one opponent and more about two possible versions of the same offense. If Kienholz cannot go, Louisville could turn to backup Davin Wydner or Briggs Cherry, forcing the Wolfpack to account for a different rhythm, different tendencies and a different kind of preparation right up until kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Had Several Players Step Up When This Game Got Tight
NC State got the kind of win that can settle a team down for a week, even if it took a little more work than it appeared it might early on. The Wolfpack beat App State 41-31 and moved back to .500, with several players making sure the night did not turn into one of those frustrating losses where a lead slips away and nobody can quite stop the momentum.
Keenan Jackson, Popo Aguirre, Jackson Vick, CJ Bailey and Duke Scott all had a hand in keeping the game pointed NC States way when App State pushed back late. It was the sort of effort the Pack will want to bottle going forward, because the margin tightened, the pressure rose and the game still ended with NC State finding enough answers on both sides to finish the job. [Read more 🡒]