WINSTON-SALEM, NC — NC State versus Wake Forest. One of the most historic rivalries in the nation, a story that’s been in writing since 1910. It’s a staple of college football in North Carolina.
Last year’s matchup in Carter-Finley didn’t go as planned. Then-graduate quarterback Grayson McCall was knocked out of the game after just five pass attempts. The reins fell to a tall, lanky true freshman in CJ Bailey.
Now, Bailey showed out, throwing for 272 yards and two touchdowns, but a rookie newly thrust into the spotlight can only do so much. NC State gave up a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and fell to its Tobacco Road rival 34-30.
This year was different. Now-sophomore Bailey, cool and collected, had the full, unquestioned backing of the offense. Travelling to Allegacy Stadium, there was a confidence around this NC State team.
But confidence can only take you so far. Wake Forest returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, instantly forcing Bailey to play from behind. The offense staggered, punting and opening the door for another easy Demon Deacon touchdown.
Now down 14-0, NC State fans were dejected. They had driven over 90 minutes to watch what they believed was just another pitiful NC State performance. But redshirt sophomore running back Hollywood Smothers knew.
“We good in No. 11 hands.”
Bailey retaliated. He led an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive down the field and calmly delivered an endzone strike to senior tight end Justin Joly on fourth-and-one.
The momentum shift was exactly what the Wolfpack needed. On the next Wake Forest drive, redshirt sophomore defensive end Isaiah Shirley intercepted Demon Deacon quarterback Robby Ashford and took it home for a 41-yard pick-six.
“We just started communicating,” Shirley said. “We dug deep and we started playing our brand of football. Hard. Tough. Together. That was really the biggest difference.”
The energy had shifted, and it all led back to Bailey.
The team’s confidence in Bailey was evident on every play. Whether it was a crafty pass, designed quarterback run or a nifty scramble to escape the pocket, there was no hesitation in the Wolfpack offense. They had full faith in their leader.
Heading into the locker room down 24-17, the team knew what needed to be done, and who to count on to get it done. It wasn’t that quiet, lanky kid who was thrust into the spotlight in 2024. It was the grown man who played with an unquestionable confidence and swagger. The one who learned to lead not just with his actions, but with his voice.
“He’s just getting better game by game,” Smothers said. “He’s more comfortable than he was last year. He’s the man. He always had a voice, now he’s learning how to use it. Everybody knows he just can play. We only gonna go as far as No. 11 go.”
Bailey came out with precision in the second half, completing 11 of his 14 passes for 79 yards and two touchdowns, one to Joly and one to sophomore wide receiver Keenan Jackson. It all culminated in a commanding 34-24 victory, completing his revenge from the previous season.
“I’m so proud of CJ,” said head coach Dave Doeren. “What you guys don’t see is how he leads the team, how big his voice is now, how accountable he’ll hold people and back it up with his own work. If he makes a mistake, he’s the first one to say ‘That’s on me.’ It’s easy to follow a guy like him.”
Bailey showed unprecedented growth in just a year’s time. Gone were the sloppy rookie mistakes and questionable plays, here were the precise passes and carefully calculated decisions. From game-changing third-down conversions to impactful first down throws, Bailey did it all.
He’s quickly shown why he should be considered as one of the premier quarterbacks in the ACC, and he’s far from done. With Bailey at the helm, nothing seems impossible for this Wolfpack squad.
“I don’t think this team has a ceiling,” Joly said. “As high as this team wants to jump, we can.”
Bailey’s evolution into a true gunslinger inspires a hope in Wolfpack fans that they haven’t felt in a while. Back-to-back comeback victories just prove that Bailey was built for the moment.
“We family here, we believe in each other,” Smothers said. “We gonna fight, we might bend but we never gonna break. We believe in each other, we believe in the man next to each other and we just gonna fight. We knew the game wasn’t over, we was down last week. We know what it takes. We’re family, we came back and got the job done.”
The job is far from finished as the captain takes his talents to Durham on Sept. 20 to take on another rival in the Duke Blue Devils. But fans can rest easy knowing that No. 11 is here, and he’s showing no signs of stopping.
