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· collected 2026-08-19 · by Aaron Beard The Associated Press
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 by the local model 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, led by coach Dave Doeren who is entering his 14th season with the program, is looking to build on its recent success under his leadership. The team has become a regular bowl participant, but its best record was in 2002 when it reached 11 wins with quarterback Philip Rivers. This year's team will have some familiar faces, including returning quarterback CJ Bailey, who threw for over 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns last season, and running back Duke Scott, who rushed for 595 yards in spot work. However, the lineup will be different with four new offensive starters and three new defensive starters. The team is picked to finish seventh in the 17-team ACC and has a relatively easy schedule to start the season, with only two of its first nine games against teams picked ahead of them.
Written for “NC State Football Season” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 1323 · logged 2026-08-21
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
“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.
asserted
who → take → games
