Critical Observations After NC State's 21-11 Win Over FSU
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RALEIGH — The combination of NC State and Carter-Finley Stadium continued to haunt Florida State, as the Wolfpack walked away from Friday night's clash victorious. The Wolfpack held on to win 21-11 and put together its best defensive performance against an FBS opponent since the season opener.
Despite missing a top corner and several other members of the secondary, the Wolfpack defense frustrated Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos throughout the entire game. He completed just 50% of his passes in the loss.
A shocking defensive performance
With starting cornerback Jamel Johnson ruled out earlier in the week, the Wolfpack was in dire need of a standout performance from its other cornerbacks. Head coach Dave Doeren turned to his best defensive back, senior Devon Marshall, for the toughest assignment of the game in FSU receiver Duce Robinson.
"It was Wednesday. We made a decision to try to get him matched up against (Robinson) as much as we could," Doeren said. "Felt like that was our best chance against that kid, and he rose to the occasion."
BALL HAWK @Devon8274 #1Pack1Goal pic.twitter.com/phNQcdwVc2
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) November 22, 2025
Doeren undersold the performance of his top cornerback. Marshall finished with six pass breakups and two interceptions in the win. He became the first Wolfpack defensive back to achieve such statistics since David Amerson in 2011.
As a whole, the defense limited the explosive plays for the Seminoles and allowed Castellanos to take gains on the ground in exchange for no success through the air. Marshall blanketed Robinson through most of the game, while linebacker Caden Fordham put together an 11-tackle performance to help the Pack hold FSU to 11. This same defense with one of its starters available last week allowed 34 points to Miami.
Bailey on point when necessary
Sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey continued to be a different quarterback in Carter-Finley Stadium. He threw for 152 yards, but made two key touchdown throws that ultimately made the difference in the game. The first came early, when he launched a high-lofting deep ball to sophomore wideout Terrell Anderson for a 23-yard score.
.@rellsteppin getting the scoring started!#1Pack1Goal pic.twitter.com/DBzRN5j0j6
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) November 22, 2025
His next opportunity to get points on the board came in the fourth quarter after the punting adventures for Florida State. On fourth down, Doeren trusted Bailey to make a play and at least get a first down deep in FSU territory. He initially lined up for a field goal and opted to try to draw the Seminoles offside, then called a timeout and trusted his quarterback.
Bailey marched onto the field with his offense and went to old reliable. He threw a pass right into the hands of tight end Justin Joly as he broke toward the Seminole sideline. The score put things out of reach and helped the Pack secure a trip to the postseason.
Punting adventures
After the Miami game, Doeren called punter Caden Noonkester the most valuable player on the team in the loss, somewhat disappointingly. Not because he doesn't value Noonkester, but because he expected more from the rest of the roster. On a night when he needed his punter to make a play, Noonkester went above and beyond.
Leading by three, the Wolfpack was forced to punt it away in the fourth quarter and trust a defense that had been shaky all season long. Noonkester booted the ball and it hung in the air, ready to fall far short of his intended distance. The football careened off the helmet of an FSU defender and rolled over 20 yards back into the arms of the punter.
Caden Noonkester punt. Caden Noonkester fumble recovery!#1Pack1Goal pic.twitter.com/HYrTLyb7MT
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) November 22, 2025
"I can not say that I've ever done that before," the punter said. "I've watched my fair share of fumble recoveries, so I tried to my best to imitate that on the play. It's a result-driven business, so I got the result done. I'm sure a lot of people could criticize my technique, but I got the result done."
The Wolfpack didn't capitalize on the first muffed punt and forced Noonkester into action again. He booted it away once again and FSU punt returner Squirrel White muffed it on the second fourth down of the 'drive.'
The coming storm
The win relieved some of the potential pressure Doeren would've faced in the final regular season game of the season. With Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels rolling into Raleigh for a rivalry showdown, Doeren had a simple message for Wolfpack fans out there.
"I expect a crazy, crazy-a** crowd next week," Doeren said. "I mean crazy. 7:30 kick on Saturday night, Thanksgiving week against the Baby Blue. Cheers. Go Pack."
Mic-drop. The Wolfpack will look to extend a four-game winning streak against the Tar Heels.
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Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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