CJ Bailey Silences Doubters in NC State’s Georgia Tech Upset
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RALEIGH — In NC State's back-to-back losses to Notre Dame and Pittsburgh, sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey didn't look like the player he appeared to be at the start of the 2025 season. He struggled with turnovers and consistency. He lacked that same confidence he had during the Wolfpack's 3-0 start.
Everything changed Saturday when No. 8 Georgia Tech arrived at Carter-Finley Stadium. The sophomore took his play to a new level, even without two of his most important playmakers flanking him on the field. Bailey led the Wolfpack to a stunning upset win over No. 8 Georgia Tech and dominated the Yellow Jacket defense all night.
The captain 👨✈️
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) November 2, 2025
CJ Bailey led NC State to a top-10 win as he completed 24-32 passes for 340 YDs and 2 touchdowns while adding a rushing TD@PackFootball | @PackAthletics | #1Pack1Goal | @DrPepper pic.twitter.com/rk6linnl1e
Bailey completed 24 of his 32 pass attempts for 340 yards. He threw a pair of touchdowns, including one 55-yard score. He also rushed for a touchdown. When his team needed him most, Bailey stepped up and performed.
"CJ played like a captain. He was in charge and played really, really good ball," head coach Dave Doeren said.
Inside Bailey's Night
Bailey walked onto the field for the first time without his top pass catcher, tight end Justin Joly, and his star running back, Hollywood Smothers. He looked more poised than he had all season long on the Wolfpack's first drive. As for the decision to receive after winning the coin toss, Bailey didn't have much input.
"When we go out there, we're just thinking to win. If the offense goes out there first, the defense will support us," Bailey said. "We’re going to go down there and score a touchdown for them or do the best we can for them."
The Pack offense set the tone immediately, as Bailey led the group down the field on a nearly-seven-minute drive that ended with the quarterback finding blocking tight end Cody Hardy for a score.
First on the board -- let's keep it rolling!#1Pack1Goal pic.twitter.com/F7YG6sdyEg
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) November 1, 2025
Without Joly, Bailey leaned on Hardy and fellow tight end Dante Daniels early. The duo combined for 67 receiving yards in the game on five receptions. Bailey explained that the duo was ready to take on the larger role in the absence of their injured leader.
"We do a good job of preparing our guys for prime time. Cody and Dante came in, they said, 'Our tight end’s down. Let's go work for him.' I trusted those guys,"
After dealing with adversity in the two losses, Bailey's confidence never wavered off the field. That resilience showed against Georgia Tech.
"I wasn't paying attention to anything outside. I didn’t know what was going on outside of our facility. My leadership and confidence has been the same throughout the year," he said. "I've been leading the same way. I poured into it more throughout this game because we needed it."
Bailey's accuracy proved to be particularly vital down the stretch of the win. While he certainly leaned on redshirt freshman Duke Scott, who broke out and rushed for 196 yards and a touchdown, the sophomore quarterback converted 18 first downs. His mobility and pocket presence helped him extend a handful of plays and he avoided any pressure Georgia Tech sent his way.
Late in the third quarter, NC State faced a third-down situation from midfield. The Wolfpack held an eight-point lead in the game and needed a score to maintain the two-possession cushion. The Yellow Jackets sent pressure Bailey's way and the sophomore backpedalled and dodged a sack. He saved just enough time to find freshman wideout Teddy Hoffmann naked downfield. 55-yard touchdown? Check.
All gas, no brakes for Teddy Hoffmann#1Pack1Goal https://t.co/Hw2wAqJ0eH pic.twitter.com/BRQUX0YIcF
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) November 2, 2025
Bailey completed 11 of 13 passes when blitzed, according to Pro Football Focus. Both of his touchdowns came against blitz packages from the Yellow Jackets. His ability to throw under duress had been a problem in the losing streak, but the sophomore clearly made adjustments after the Pitt loss.
The win changed the mindset of the Wolfpack. Bailey's performance puts the program just one win away from bowl eligibility, a notion that seemed unlikely after the ugly loss to Pitt a week prior. The sophomore gets a more personal matchup after another bye week for the Pack, as NC State will head to his home to face the Miami Hurricanes, now ranked No. 18 in the country.
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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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