The Aporia · NC State enters Year 14 under Dave Doeren knowing it has a strength in returning QB CJ Bailey

NC State is entering its 14th season under head coach Dave Doeren, aiming to build on a bowl win streak that began in 2018. Quarterback CJ Bailey returns after throwing for 3,105 yards and 25 touchdowns last year, improving his accuracy to 68.8%. Bailey's return is seen as crucial to the team's success. N.C. State is picked to finish seventh in the ACC, but has a relatively favorable schedule with only two opponents predicted to finish ahead of them.

Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-08-19, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

Story summary

N.C. State is entering its 14th season under coach Dave Doeren, who has become the program's all-time leader in career wins. The team is looking to build on recent success, including a bowl win for the first time since 2017. With a new season comes changes to the lineup, as four offensive starters and three defensive starters are back from last year. However, quarterback CJ Bailey returns after throwing for 3,105 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2024, a significant improvement from his previous season's performance of 2,413 yards and 17 touchdowns. Running back Duke Scott, who had 595 yards last year, is expected to take on a leading role this season. Despite being picked to finish seventh in the ACC, N.C. State has reason to be optimistic with its veteran quarterback and experienced players returning to the field.

Written for “NC State Football Preview” on 2026-10-16, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

📰 NC State Football Preview

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Jimmy Rogers enters his 1st season at Iowa State with a revamped roster following Campbell's exit different event · 80%

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⚖️ Leans right 🔴 4% hedged 1 of 28 📰 publisher trust 63

“Article A discusses NC State's upcoming season with a returning QB, while Article B discusses Iowa State's new coach and revamped roster”

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Aaron Beard

20 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 The ACC’s exit fee will decline each year before leveling off around $75 million per school that season, while media deals for other leagues are expiring around that time to create at least the potential for another wave of broad realignment.

2026-10-06 · assertive framing · ACC's Phillips touts league's health amid questions of possible departures, realignment in future

🔮 And the top WNBA prospect could end up as Division I’s career steals leader along with ranking among its top 10 all-time scorers.

2026-10-05 · assertive framing · Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo has grown from freshman star to a heralded face of the sport as a senior

🔮 Nolan James Jr. did most of the work on the ground, then caught Carr’s short pass in the left flat and juked a would-be tackler off his feet to go in for a 6-yard TD and a 34-20 lead to open the fourth quarter.

2026-10-03 · assertive framing · Carr, ground game help No. 3 Notre Dame push past North Carolina 37-26 for 15th straight win

🔮 Notre Dame (4-0) ranks 98th in the Bowl Subdivision in rushing offense at 141.8 yards entering the matchup with the Tar Heels (2-1), with junior Aneyas Williams and sophomore Nolan James Jr. each starting in the backfield so far this year.

2026-10-01 · assertive framing · No. 3 Notre Dame visits North Carolina with a revamped rushing game after NFL departures

🔮 But having that cohesion back didn’t eliminate rust, nor the ability to push past a tested Florida team in what could be a preview of yet another postseason reunion.

2026-09-30 · assertive framing · In battle of Stanley Cup winners, Panthers announce return in OT win against Hurricanes

🔮 He had put it off to avoid a lengthy layoff that might interfere with the Hurricanes’ hopes as a perennial contender or the chance to represent his native Canada in the Olympics.

2026-09-28 · assertive framing · Hurricanes' Jarvis still grinding back from shoulder surgery as Stanley Cup champions open season

🔮 Still, Doeren’s squad couldn’t feel relaxed until James London’s 42-yard field goal went wide left with 45 seconds left.

2026-09-27 · assertive framing · Scott's TD run helps NC State shake off blown lead, Vanderbilt loss by beating Appalachian State

🔮 Game of the week Wake Forest (2-1, 0-1 ACC) at No. 16 Louisville (2-1, 1-0), Saturday, noon ET (ESPN) The Cardinals won the battle of teams projected to be top contenders to preseason ACC favorite Miami, beating a ranked SMU team 41-31 at home last week.

2026-09-24 · assertive framing · No. 16 Louisville hosts Wake Forest to headline ACC's Week 4 slate

🔮 Yet they proved last year they could manufacture a strong attack through sheer depth, with Carolina the only NHL team last year with seven different players having scored at least 20 goals, including top-line center Sebastian Aho, second-line center Logan Stankoven and last year’s free-agent addition Nikolaj Ehlers.

2026-09-22 · assertive framing · The Carolina Hurricanes now face a new challenge: playing as reigning Stanley Cup champion

🔮 Doing so this week — after suffering one of the most stunning and improbable losses in recent memory in college football — will be a tougher challenge.

2026-09-22 · assertive framing · NC State's Dave Doeren faces a test of rallying his Wolfpack after the shocking Vanderbilt loss

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2026-10-06 · Toronto Star

Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo has grown from freshman star to a heralded face of the sport as a senior

2026-10-05 · Toronto Star

Carr, ground game help No. 3 Notre Dame push past North Carolina 37-26 for 15th straight win

2026-10-03 · Toronto Star

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“This year will be way different because we took a lot of time this offseason to work on the details, do the little things, just making sure we make our layup plays,” said cornerback Brian Nelson II, who started three games last year.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-08-19

🔮 The lineup will look different with four offensive starters and three defensive starters back, while quarterback CJ Bailey returns and running back Duke Scott (595 yards) thrived in spot work last year as he inherits a leading role.

2026-08-19 · Toronto Star

NC State enters Year 14 under Dave Doeren knowing it has a strength in returning QB CJ Bailey · assertive framing

N.C. State RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — 2025 record: 8-5 Expectations N.C. State has been a regular bowl team under Dave Doeren, now entering his 14th season and the program’s career wins leader. asserted

State → enter → season

He’s won eight or nine games in seven of the past nine years, while the Wolfpack closed with a bowl win for the first time since 2017. asserted

Wolfpack → win → 2017

Yet an 11-win season in 2002 with longtime NFL star Philip Rivers at quarterback remains the only time in program history that N.C. State has reached double-digit wins. asserted

State → remain → wins

The lineup will look different with four offensive starters and three defensive starters back, while quarterback CJ Bailey returns and running back Duke Scott (595 yards) thrived in spot work last year as he inherits a leading role. asserted

he → look → role

N.C. State is picked to finish seventh in the 17-team ACC, and only two of nine league opponents are picked ahead of the Wolfpack. asserted

opponents → pick → Wolfpack

Both of those — the opener against Virginia on Aug. 29 that was originally slated for Brazil and a visit from Louisville on Oct. 3 — come early. asserted

that → slat → Oct.

Strengths start with veteran QB’s return asserted

Strengths → start → return

He went from throwing for 2,413 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2024 to 3,105 yards and 25 TDs last season. asserted

He → go → yards

The slender 6-foot-6 junior has also become a more accurate passer on higher volume (68.8% last year). asserted

junior → become → volume

“All those reps I took from my freshman year to now has been crucial to my game,” Bailey said. asserted

Bailey → take → game

Bailey has also run for 11 touchdowns the past two seasons, even with short-yardage specialist Will Wilson (10 TDs last year) as the backup. asserted

Bailey → run → backup

“His leadership jumps off the table,” Doeren said. asserted

Doeren → jump → table

“Last year he was an offensive leader, this year he’s a team leader. asserted

he → ’ → ?

And it’s different. asserted

it → ’ → ?

He can feel it. asserted

He → feel → it

He can talk to anybody, he’s got complete confidence and they have complete confidence in him. asserted

they → talk → him

And he knows that. asserted

he → know → that

Weaknesses start with defensive questions asserted

Weaknesses → start → questions

The Wolfpack ranked 12th in the Bowl Subdivision in scoring defense (20.0) and 20th in total defense (329.5 yards) over star linebacker Payton Wilson’s last two seasons in 2022 and 2023, according to Sportradar. uncertain

Wolfpack → rank → Sportradar

But N.C. State has fallen dramatically the past two seasons since with Wilson in the NFL, ranking 97th in scoring defense (28.7) and 107th in total defense (401.5). asserted

State → fall → defense

Safety Asaad Brown Jr. is the leading returning tackler (64), and his 10 starts match nickelback Jackson Vick as the two most experienced returning starters. asserted

starts → lead → starters

Safety Tristan Teasdell is back after starting five games last year while logging 370 snaps for the most on the team by a true freshman. asserted

Teasdell → start → freshman

who → take → games

NC State enters Year 14 under Dave Doeren knowing it has a strength in returning QB CJ Bailey

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