Dave Doeren’s November Magic: How NC State Wins Late

RALEIGH — NC State finished the month of October with a 1-2 record and fell to 4-4 on the season before a matchup with a Georgia Tech team ranked in the top 10 at the time. Unfortunately for the Yellow Jackets, the calendar turned to November, a month with a very different history for Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren.

The Wolfpack stunned Georgia Tech on Nov. 1 to move to 5-4 before a bye week. That win pushed Doeren's record in November to 15-6 since the 2020 season.

As to how the NC State program thrives down the stretch of seasons so consistently, Doeren's teams share similar traits. With another ranked matchup coming up and three games to go, the 13-year veteran sees some of the same things that made his past groups built for the final stretch.

"Part of Our DNA"

Oct 4, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren with his team prepare to run out prior to the first half of the game against Campbell Fighting Camels at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

One of the many mantras that the NC State staff uses consistently is "Finish." While the word seems simple, it's not always such an easy task. If you asked Doeren, it's been a nearly impossible one for the 2025 edition of the Wolfpack, which failed to play a complete game before the Georgia Tech win in his eyes.

"I think proof of concept was what last week was," Doeren said Monday. "We've had quarters and halves this year where we've played really good complementary football and we've played well... We hadn't done it for four quarters and then you get into a game like that and you do it."

Fans storm the field at Carter-Finley Stadium as NC State upsets No. 8 Georgia Tech 48-36. @WolfpackOnSI pic.twitter.com/v655WOCcRJ
— Tucker Sennett (@SennettTucker) November 2, 2025

That his team finally reached its peak when the leaves started to fall off the trees shouldn't surprise those familiar with Doeren's history. In 2023, the Wolfpack went a perfect 4-0 in November. That ability to find rhythm late in the season isn't a coincidence. It's part of the program's philosophy.

"You can burn them out pretty quick and it's a long season. We had eight games without a bye week two years ago," Doeren said. "We had seven without a bye week this year and so you've got to be calculated because it's a long season."

Seasons can be lost and saved in the final month. Entering November with four wins gave NC State four chances to get two wins and an opportunity to play in a postseason bowl game. The program has exactly what Doeren wants. A chance to "Finish."

"The month of November is really important," the coach said. "It's really important you get on a run here at the end of the season, do some really good things."

While some of his late-season runs came with teams perceived as stronger groups heading into the last few weeks, Doeren sees some similarities between the 2025 roster and those teams of old.

"It starts with leadership. You've got to have players that want that they want to finish," Doeren said. "It matters to them and it's said all the time: You're going to remember what happens in November... This team's built for that. They're built to be finishers. It's a part of our DNA and we've got a tough finishing schedule."

As for that schedule, walking out of this November with a winning record would be one of Doeren's greatest stretches as the NC State head coach. The season looked somewhat lost after back-to-back losses to Notre Dame and Pittsburgh before the Georgia Tech upset. The Wolfpack was unable to finish above .500 in November in 2024, but still ended the season on a high note with a win over UNC.

Nov 1, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey (11) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

The first step in making a run is complete. Now, the Wolfpack turns its attention to No. 16 Miami, a program that still has hopes of making the ACC Championship game and the College Football Playoff despite a pair of conference losses. Doeren's team, led by sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey, seems to be well aware of what it will take to beat the Hurricanes.

"It's a big month for us... We needed to make sure the team understood that," Doeren said. "It's talked about in everything we do. It's finish. Not to the line, through the line. If you're going to run 10 yards, run 11."

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