The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1542201
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026 ■ 29 the strongest finishes of any ACC team with a 3-1 mark in November. NC State earned its signature win in the process: a 48-36 victory over then-No. 8 Geor- gia Tech. Students stormed the field at Carter-Finley Stadium after the Pack outdueled one of the conference's top teams in a prime-time showdown. That win not only brought joy to ev- eryone involved on a cold Raleigh night, it also paved the way for the Wolfpack to post its 10th winning season under Dave Doeren. The 13th-year coach has never logged back-to-back losing campaigns in his tenure, and the Pack was able to avoid making this year the first such time it happened. Before finishing its season against Memphis in the Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 19, the Pack posted numerous superla- tives in 2025. Here are The Wolfpacker's highlights from the regular season. Offensive MVP NC State relied on a balanced at- tack, but one of its most telling stats was sophomore CJ Bailey's quarterback rating. When he posted a mark above 60.0, which is slightly above average, the Wolfpack went 7-1. Under that total? The Pack was 0-4. In essence, NC State went as Bailey did. The second-year starter shined for much of the season in his first full cam- paign leading the Wolfpack offense. He threw for 2,884 yards with 23 touch- downs and 9 interceptions, while adding 215 rushing yards and 5 more scores on 82 attempts. Bailey, whose career red zone stats in- cluded 34 touchdowns and no intercep- tions prior to the Memphis game, was an integral part of the Wolfpack's success with his play on the field, and he also made a big impact in the locker room. He became the youngest player to be elected captain in Doeren's first 13 seasons in Raleigh, earning respect from his team- mates at a lightning-fast pace. "What you guys don't see is how he leads the team, how big his voice is now, how accountable he'll hold people and back it up with his own work," Doeren said. "The thing that's really awesome is, if he makes a mistake, he'll be the first to say, 'That's on me.' It's easy to follow a guy like him. He knows the offense, he understands it. He makes plays with his feet, he takes care of the football, and he gives guys a chance to make a play." Bailey was a critical part of NC State's leadership on and off the field. His pres- ence within the offense proved to be im- portant from the get-go, setting the tone with a 318-yard performance in the sea- son-opening win over East Carolina, and he never looked back — even when some games were more turbulent than others. Bailey's steady temperament and desire for improvement helped carry the Wolf- pack to a strong finish down the stretch. Defensive MVP Less than a year removed from suffering a torn ACL, graduate linebacker Caden Fordham returned to the field in time for fall camp. He earned the Wolfpack's cov- eted No. 1 jersey upon his return and was a vocal leader of the defense. Fordham's play on the field improved as the season progressed. He finished with a career-best 130 total tackles, including 8.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks, 4 passes defended and an interception. "He's gotten better and better as the year has gone on. He's playing with a lot of confidence," Doeren said. "He's hit his stride. He knows where to fit, he's com- municating at a high level, his pass cover- age has gotten better. He's playing square, he's using his hands, he's beating blocks. He's just tough. "It's been a tremendous senior year. He's playing as consistently as any Mike linebacker that I've watched on film." Fordham, a third-team Associated Press All-American, was the Pack's most consistent defender across the last four regular-season games, averaging at least 11 stops per game, with 15-tackle perfor- mances against Georgia Tech and Florida State. He posted eight total 10-plus tackle efforts in his final campaign. Special Teams MVP NC State's kicking game revolved around the right leg of graduate punter Caden Noonkester this fall. The Wolfpack attempted just 8 field goals, which meant that Noonkester was busy flipping the field as the go-to special teams ace. Noonkester totaled 52 punts for 2,265 yards — an average of 43.6 yards per at- tempt — with an ACC-leading 21 attempts landing inside the opponent's 20-yard line. He also booted 13 punts of 50 yards or more with a long of 66 in his final season. Individual Offensive Performance of the Year NC State went into its showdown against Georgia Tech without redshirt sophomore Hollywood Smothers. But with the eventual first-team All-ACC running back unavailable for the game, redshirt freshman Duke Scott rose to the occasion in his first career start. Scott, a former four-star recruit, posted 196 rushing yards with a touch- In his first full season as NC State's starting quarterback, CJ Bailey threw for 2,884 yards with 23 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS