NC State football downs Memphis. What we learned in Pack’s first bowl win since 2017

Two pirate chest trophies, with fake gold coins behind the Gasparilla Bowl logo, sat on the sideline at Raymond James Stadium — home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — for the winner of the bowl game and its most valuable player.

N.C. State hadn’t brought home a postseason trophy of any kind — pirate booty or otherwise — since 2017, having lost five consecutive bowl games.

Until Friday.

A strong first half lifted N.C. State past Memphis, 31-7. The win was the Wolfpack’s fourth in five games, and snapped the Tigers’ four-game bowl win streak. The Pack ends the year 8-5, giving head coach Dave Doeren eight wins in five of the past six years.

“An eighth win with that strength of schedule, with all the injuries and staff things we dealt with this year, would be a heck of a season,” Doeren said Wednesday. “That’s what we’re gunning for: winning four of our last five games and having that momentum going into the offseason.”

Mission accomplished.

The Tigers started 8-1 this season, beating Arkansas on the road and appearing in the Associated Press Top 25 in four weeks. It was one of the Group of 5 teams in contention for a College Football Playoff spot midway through the fall, but its three-game slide in November, and the Wolfpack’s rise, gave N.C. State all the momentum.

“I challenged them that we’ve been really good in November,” Doeren said after the game. “We have not been winners in December in a while and that this team had a chance to flip the script, set the table for what’s to come for teams that follow them to live up with those guys did. These guys like being challenged. They rose to the occasion. I was proud of them.”

The Pack’s offense capitalized, as it has all season, but the defense set the table for those opportunities.

On the first drive, Memphis went three-and-out and gained 1 yard. The Wolfpack defense picked up a fourth-down stop on the next. N.C. State gave up the lone Memphis touchdown with eight minutes remaining in the first half.

N.C. State also had two takeaways. Linebacker Caden Fordham contributed a 55-yard interception return in the first quarter, and a team effort led to a fumble in the third.

“I was wanting to score,” Fordham said. “I tried my best, but, at the end, I kind of ran out of gas.”

Joseph Adedire forced the ball out of Tigers running back Frank Peasant’s hands, and teammate Josiah Victor rushed in for the recovery.

Devon Marshall continued his impressive stretch to end the year. After winning Second Team All-America honors from the Athletic and PFF All-ACC, Marshall made clutch stops for the Wolfpack. Memphis limited its throws to the left side of the field because of his staunch coverage. He finished with eight tackles and one breakup.

Fordham and Kenny Soares led the defense with double-digit tackles.

“Our defense played good,” quarterback CJ Bailey said. “Got our offense going the same way the offense playing good gives momentum to the defense. I like seeing that.”

The N.C. State offense didn’t score in the second half, but the defense didn’t allow Memphis to score, either, giving young players a chance to see the field.

The defense stopped the Tigers from getting into the red zone and converting on fourth down.

Memphis quarterback Brendon Lewis finished with 106 passing yards and 51 rushing yards in the Tigers’ loss.

Bailey finished 14-of-25 passing for 221 yards and two touchdowns. He added one 14-yard rushing touchdown. Bailey’s performance made him the seventh N.C. State quarterback to record 3,000 passing yards in a season, joining players such as Phillip Rivers, Ryan Finley, Russell Wilson and Mike Glennon.

Freshman quarterback Will Wilson also scored his 10th touchdown of the season, tying Rivers for the second-most rushing touchdowns in a single season by a Wolfpack QB.

“I came in with a mindset that I wanted to win,” Bailey said. We did it. We pulled it off, and it was a great effort by our team.”

NC State sees few player opt-outs

Marshall, tight end Justin Joly, offensive lineman Jacarrius Peak and nose tackle Brandon Cleveland suited up for the game, despite pregame rumors of their absence.

Cleveland commented on a published list of reported opt-outs before the game and called it “false information.”

“I can’t explain how much that makes me feel special,” Doeren said of the players who played.

He also said Joly cried before the game.

“He just wanted to play one more time with his brothers, and he wanted Coach [Gavin] Locklear to coach him one more time.,” Doeren said. “That’s our culture; the love that these kids have for each other.”

Marshall was also among the players who said last week that he intended to play.

“It’s my last game with this team, with my brothers,” Marshall told reporters. “I’m just gonna go out there and give him all for them, and it’s my last college game ever. It means a lot to me, and then it means a lot to the team that we get a ‘Dub’ so they can carry that into next season.”

All four players have appeared on various draft boards, often on the second and third day. Peak, alongside defensive end Sabastian Harsh, were both listed on the CBS Sports Top 150 draft prospects.

Running back Hollywood Smothers opted out, which was expected. He is reportedly recovering from an ankle injury and intends to enter the transfer portal in January.

Cleveland, Marshall and Peak are all fourth-year players.

The Wolfpack was still down several players, primarily because of injuries, but most of its primary rotation played, even if it was in a limited capacity.

Spreading the wealth

Wide receiver Noah Rogers caught a short screen pass from Bailey and leapfrogged over Memphis, picking up the first down and several extra yards. Wesley Grimes grabbed a 31-yard pass and spun to break the plane, despite a significant hit by Memphis’ Chris Bracy.

Those were two of several SportsCenter Top 10 plays for the Wolfpack offense, which continued to be one of the team’s strengths.

N.C. State was held to one touchdown in just two games — Notre Dame and Miami — and averaged 34.8 points in the remaining 10 regular-season games.

The Pack scored 31 first-half points, creating points on five of its first seven drives.

During that stretch, three different players rushed for positive yardage and six picked up at least one first down. True freshman tight end Preston Douglas caught a pass, the first of his career, for 18 yards on third down. N.C. State scored a field goal four plays later.

The team went 2 for 2 in the red zone through the first two quarters and picked up 245 yards of total offense.

N.C. State’s offense wasn’t quite as efficient in the second half, but it still finished with strong numbers from a number of players.

Eight different players recorded at least one catch of at least 15 yards. True freshman Preston Douglas made an 18-yard reception, the first of his career, in his home state.

With Smothers unavailable, Duke Scott led the rushing attack. While he didn’t have quite the same success against Memphis that he did against Georgia Tech — the Tigers entered the game top 50 in run defense — he still finished with 108 rushing yards and made three explosive plays for the Pack.

“I was excited for Duke,” Doeren said. “It was his opportunity again. That’s his second start, second 100-yard game. The future is bright for him. Super excited.”

Pack wins the line of scrimmage

N.C. State controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the field, a major factor in its win on Friday.

The offensive line and blockers held up to allow N.C. State to run the ball throughout the game. It also protected Bailey. The sophomore quarterback didn’t have his most efficient game, but he had plenty of time to throw the football with limited pressure.

On the defensive side, the Wolfpack disrupted the Memphis offense by limiting its run game. It entered the game averaging 186 yards on the ground, ranking No. 34 in the nation. Memphis finished with 149 rushing yards without a touchdown.

N.C. State’s ability to win the line also allowed other defenders to put pressure on senior quarterback Brendon Lewis and his supporting cast. He was sacked once and pressured four times. The Wolfpack finished with nine tackles for loss.

This story was originally published December 19, 2025 at 6:20 PM.