Wolfpack Coach Breaks Down Gasparilla Bowl Expectations
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RALEIGH — NC State head coach Dave Doeren and his squad spent the last week recovering from a grueling 2025 season, but the year isn't over just yet for the Wolfpack. The team is lined up to face the Memphis Tigers in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa on Dec. 19.
The Pack is trying to get its first bowl victory since 2017, when it defeated Arizona State in the Sun Bowl. As for the preparations for the Tigers, things have looked different for NC State compared to the rest of the season, but Doeren doesn't have any doubt his team is ready to finish the fight.
Watch Doeren's Gasparilla Bowl press conference
Doeren's thoughts on the Gasparilla Bowl
It won't be NC State's first trip to Tampa for bowl season, as the team played in the St. Petersburg Bowl in 2014. That was Doeren's first bow victory as a head coach for the Wolfpack in just his second season leading the program.
"It was different sponsorship, but (we) played in it years ago, had a great experience," Doeren said. "Obviously, the climate, weather is great for the fans and players are excited and our footprint in Florida, with recruiting and current players in Florida, they're excited."
Not done yet! The Pack is heading to the @GasparillaBowl.
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) December 7, 2025
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It is a much earlier date than usual for the Wolfpack, making things more like a bye week than the normal bowl season practice schedule. The team finished final exams Wednesday and now will be "all football" with Doeren for the next week in the buildup to the Gasparilla Bowl. The different schedule changed the way NC State handled practices over the last week, especially with younger players.
"Because of our depth, there's just not a lot of normal practice time," Doeren said. "If the ball game was on (Dec. 30) or something, you'd have more developmental practices. So the way we're built right now, with the injuries we've had, the young guys are playing the way they played this year, and but the scout teams have done a great job. They gave us a great look out there and that's how they're getting evaluated."
Doeren is aware of the challenges Memphis presents, especially given the Tigers won their last four bowl games. However, head coach Ryan Silverfield left the program to become the coach at Arkansas, so the Wolfpack will face interim coach Reggie Howard. That creates some added adversity, but Doeren's view is that it doesn't change things much.
"There's going to be wrinkles. You have to expect that, but you have to also expect that they can't change their systems completely, like their DNA is going to be their DNA," Doeren said. "... You're not going to see a team completely change their systems, especially in a fast bowl game like this one."
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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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