Can CJ Bailey Find His Rhythm Again for NC State?
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RALEIGH — NC State lost four straight games against FBS competition over the last month and a half, ruining a promising 3-0 start against such foes. Throughout the skid, the play of sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey has been full of highs and lows.
In two of the losses, the South Florida native combined for six interceptions, bringing his season-long total to seven. His efficient start began to fade and the Wolfpack's dynamic offense struggled as the record plummeted to 4-4. With four opportunities left to recover, Bailey will need to find his rhythm again if the Wolfpack wants to play in a bowl game come December.
What's Gone Wrong?
In the back-to-back losses to Notre Dame and Pittsburgh, Bailey's very impressive accuracy numbers and passing efficiency became flawed. He completed just 58.6% of his passes in the two losses, well below his season rate of 70.2%. The sophomore faced much more pressure against Notre Dame, as he was sacked four times.
When pressured and sacked, Bailey's turnover numbers increase significantly. In the losses to Duke and the Fighting Irish, he was pressured 13 times in each. Coincidentally, he threw six picks in those games. According to PFF, his turnover-worthy plays also increased in those games, as he had three for each of his interceptions.
As the Pitt game became uglier and uglier on the scoreboard, Bailey made some questionable decisions. On a couple of occasions, those poor decisions ended drives because they came on fourth down plays. Head coach Dave Doeren expressed his disappointment in his quarterback.
"Just disappointed in that. I told him after the game, 'You can run, man; things aren't there, so run the football.' Get us first down with your legs. It's fourth and two. So he's still a young quarterback," Doeren said. "As far as where he's at mentally, he does a lot of things at an elite level. There's always growth. And you know, that wasn't what we prepared for."
Not All Bad
At times against Pitt, Bailey showed flashes of the version of him from the first three weeks of the season. He threw a well-layered ball over the Pitt linebackers to Justin Joly for a touchdown in the first quarter. He also found Teddy Hoffmann late in the game for a score that didn't do anything other than boost the confidence of the offense heading into the next week.
7/11 open early and often. #1Pack1Goal pic.twitter.com/mpdMGAsqiR
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) October 25, 2025
Doeren spoke about how every game the Wolfpack puts on tape is each player's resume. For Bailey, there've been plenty of positives, but some signs of work to do. His head coach knows that, but is still confident his quarterback can lead this team to a strong finish.
"I think CJ continues to lead our football team really well," Doeren said. "Proud of him."
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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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