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CJ Bailey connected with Keenan Jackson for the 12-yard go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter to help N.C. State beat Wake Forest 34-24 on Thursday night. Bailey threw three TD passes for the Wolfpack (3-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), two going to Justin Joly as N.C. State rallied from a quick 14-0 deficit. The Wolfpack also got a big-man touchdown with 6-foot-3, 280-pound defensive tackle Isaiah Shirley snatching an errant pass and rumbling 41 yards for a TD return late in the first quarter.

N.C. State added a key interception from Ronnie Royal III with 5:02 left. Chris Barnes returned the opening kickoff for a 98-yard touchdown and added a 70-yard catch-and-run on a deep ball for Wake Forest, the latter leading to Demond Claiborne's short TD run for the 14-0 lead. Robby Ashford also ran for a touchdown on a short keeper for the Demon Deacons (2-1, 0-1), who lost for the first time under new coach Jake Dickert. - NC State/AP College Football

(DS#20 QB) So/2028

QB CJ Bailey, North Carolina State
News Source: NC State/AP College Football
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09/06/25 - CJ Bailey, So/2028, North Carolina State, 6-5, 213 (DS#20 QB) + More +

CJ Bailey rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another as North Carolina State defeated visiting Virginia 35-31 on Saturday in a non-league clash between two Atlantic Coast Conference teams. Bailey, the sophomore quarterback for the Wolfpack (2-0), completed 16-of-22 passes for 200 yards and rushed for 44 yards on six carries. N.C. State's offense was also bolstered by Hollywood Smothers, who rumbled ahead for 136 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Virginia (1-1) was powered by J'Mari Taylor's 150 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries. Chandler Morris completed 30-of-43 passes for 257 yards and a score.

After falling behind by 10 points, N.C. State's offense sprang to life in the second half, outscoring Virginia 21-7 in the third quarter thanks to two rushing touchdowns from Smothers and one by Bailey. The Wolfpack held the Cavaliers scoreless in the final frame, and got a crucial stop on fourth-and-1 on the 8-yard line with 6:39 to play, paving the way for N.C. State to drain more than four minutes off the clock. The win was sealed when N.C. State's Cian Slone intercepted a desperate throw by Morris in the end zone. - NC State/AP College Football

(DS#20 QB) So/2028

QB CJ Bailey, North Carolina State
News Source: NC State/AP College Football
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08/28/25 - CJ Bailey, So/2028, North Carolina State, 6-5, 213 (DS#20 QB) + More +

N.C. State stopped East Carolina on a fourth-and-1 deep in its own end with 37 seconds left to hold on for a 24-17 season-opening win Thursday night. After trailing 17-0 early, ECU pushed all the way to the Wolfpack's 9-yard line on a drive for the tie, with Katin Houser throwing a short pass to the left to Desirrio Riles. Almost immediately, N.C. State's Jamel Johnson closed to make the initial hit that drove Riles laterally toward the sideline, with Ronnie Royal III coming in to clean it up and end the threat. CJ Bailey threw for 318 yards and a perfect 48-yard scoring pass up the seam to Wesley Grimes for the Wolfpack (1-0). He also joined Hollywood Smothers in rushing for a touchdown.

Houser threw for 366 yards and a touchdown for the Pirates (0-1), the highlight being Jayvontay Conner taking a downfield pass, bouncing off a hit and rumbling loose up the sideline for a 79-yard touchdown shortly before halftime. This was the latest meeting in a testy instate series. The teams met in last year's Military Bowl, with ECU winning 26-21 in a game that featured a late brawl. There were no major sparks this time. Rather, it was N.C. State getting out in front while ECU sputtered out of the gate to dig itself a hole that lasted all night. - NC State/AP College Football

(DS#20 QB) So/2028

QB CJ Bailey, North Carolina State
News Source: NC State/AP College Football
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11/30/23 - Payton Wilson, rSr/2024, North Carolina State, 6-4, 233 (DS#2 OLB) + More +

2023 ACC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Payton Wilson, NC State,...Wilson eclipsed the 400-career tackle mark in the final week of the regular season, just one of five active FBS players to achieve the feat. Throughout his storied career for the Wolfpack, Wilson has accumulated stats that rank him inside the top 10 of active FBS players in total tackles, tackles per game, solo tackles, solo tackles per game, assisted tackles, assisted tackles-for-loss, total tackles-for-loss, and tackles-for-loss per game. Wilson leads the conference and ranks fifth nationally this season with 138 tackles and an average of 11.5 tackles per game and has tallied the most total tackles for a Wolfpack player in a single season since Earl Wolff had 145 in 2012.

On nine occasions this season, Wilson recorded double-digit stops, highlighted by a 16-tackle game against Miami. Wilson also added 6.0 sacks and 17.5 tackles-for-loss, with his tackles behind the line of scrimmage the most among ACC defenders. The Hillsborough, North Carolina, native has added a trio of interceptions, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries to his resume. Over a four-game stretch against Virginia, Louisville, Marshall, and Duke, Wilson recorded at least one-half sack and 10 tackles in each game, highlighted by a two-sack showing against Louisville and a 14-tackle game versus Marshall. Wilson has been named a semifinalist for both the Butkus and Bednarik Awards, while also earning a spot as a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. Wilson has earned ACC Linebacker of the Week honors five times throughout the season as well as the Butkus Linebacker of the Month award in September. - ACC Football

(DS#2 OLB) rSr/2024

OLB Payton Wilson, North Carolina State
News Source: ACC Football
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11/29/23 - Grayson McCall, rSr/2025, North Carolina State, 6-2, 221 (DS#999 QB) + More +

Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall, a three-time Sun Belt Conference player of the year, has entered the transfer portal. It is the second straight season McCall had announced his intention to leave the program. However, he returned last year after the school hired current coach Tim Beck to replace Jamey Chadwell, who had left for Liberty after the 2022 season. McCall's post on social media Wednesday thanked the school for his five years before saying he had entered the portal as a graduate transfer with a final year of eligibility remaining. McCall, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound fifth-year senior, missed his team's final five games with a head injury suffered at Arkansas State on Oct. 21. McCall was knocked unconscious, carted off the field and spent the night in a hospital before returning to campus. - AP College Football

(DS#999 QB) rSr/2025

QB Grayson McCall, North Carolina State
News Source: AP College Football
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02/25/23 - Brennan Armstrong, rSr/2024, North Carolina State, 6-1, 199 (DS#24 QB) + More +

Brennan Armstrong didn't have a hard decision to make after the 2022 football season, nor did the quarterback take long to make it. Robert Anae had been named the new offensive coordinator at N.C. State. Armstrong played for Anae at Virginia in 2021, setting several school offensive records. Armstrong officially entered the NCAA transfer portal, but that was pretty much a formality. He quickly knew where he wanted to transfer. "I wanted to find a place where I could succeed in, and I thought this place was bottom-line it," Armstrong said Friday on a media call.

Armstrong, a left-handed passer and graduate student, calls it a "quarterback friendly" offense. The key, as with all teams, is for there to be a friendly quarterback room, with egos put aside. "We're here to compete but we're also here to help each other," Armstrong said. "The competition will help each other grow. It's been pretty easy, honestly. The competition is hot, but that's what makes us better." At Virginia, Armstrong set single-season records for yards passing (4,449) and touchdowns (31) under Anae in 2021, passing for a school-record 554 yards in one game. - Raleigh News Observer

(DS#24 QB) rSr/2024

QB Brennan Armstrong, North Carolina State
News Source: Raleigh News Observer
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01/09/23 - Yousef Mugharbil, rSr/2026, North Carolina State, 6-4, 322 (DS#70 OG) + More +

Colorado is continuing to bolster its offensive line. On Saturday night, former Florida lineman Yousef Mugharbil announced on social media that he has committed to transfer to the Buffs. Mugharbil did not appear in a game during his two years at Florida and he has three years of eligibility remaining. Listed by Florida at 6-foot-5, 311 pounds, Mugharbil missed almost the entire 2021 season after an automobile accident.

In August of 2011, he was driving a scooter in Gainesville, Fla., when he collided with a semi truck and injuries prevented him from playing during the regular season. He returned to practice before the Gators' bowl game, but did not play. As a redshirt freshman this year, he did not appear in any games. Coming out of Murphy (N.C.) High School in 2021, Mugharbil was a four-star recruit who chose Florida over offers from Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Louisville, North Carolina State, North Carolina and Penn State, Tennessee and Virginia Tech, among others. - Daily Camera

(DS#70 OG) rSr/2026

OG Yousef Mugharbil, North Carolina State
News Source: Daily Camera
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01/08/23 - JaHad Carter, rSr/2025, North Carolina State, 6-1, 206 (DS#999 SS) + More +

Any questions Ryan Williams retained about new Ohio State football safety Ja'Had Carter's ability to succeed at the next level ended on Aug. 30, 2019. That day, Carter's Jireh Prep Academy took on the Naval Academy's junior varsity team. The Midshipmen were playing some juniors in that game. Running back Jamale Carothers ended the season as Navy's starter. That separation in age and development did not matter to Carter. Williams, Jireh's coach at the time, saw the defensive back add a new description to his makeup: "Fearless." "Ja'Had was fearless tackling that kid," Williams said, referring to Carothers. "That told me it didn't really matter. He had the ability to compete at that level without flinching and breaking."

Carter joins a Buckeye program seeking more stability in the back of its defense. He was a three-year starter at Syracuse - a freshman All-American in 2020 and an honorable mention All-ACC pick while leading the team in takeaways. Williams, though, said Carter's character may be his most impressive attribute. He said Carter comes from a particularly rough area in Richmond, Va. Williams, though, said Carter already had great drive and focus by the time he arrived at Jireh. - Cleveland Plain Dealer

(DS#999 SS) rSr/2025

SS JaHad Carter, North Carolina State
News Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
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01/08/23 - Brennan Armstrong, rSr/2024, North Carolina State, 6-1, 199 (DS#24 QB) + More +

Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong is transferring to North Carolina State. Armstrong announced his decision in a social media post Saturday. The move allows him to reunite with his former offensive coordinator Robert Anae, who directed the Cavaliers' offense during the most productive years of Armstrong's career with the Cavaliers and recently signed on to lead the Wolfpack's attack.

Armstrong threw for 4,449 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2021, including a program-record 554 yards in a loss at North Carolina. But he struggled last year in a different offense under first-year coach Tony Elliott. Armstrong's arrival gives the Wolfpack a veteran option after losing Devin Leary to Kentucky. Leary was the preseason Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year but missed the second half of the year with an injury, while N.C. State cycled through three other starting quarterbacks for the rest of the season. - AP College Football

(DS#24 QB) rSr/2024

QB Brennan Armstrong, North Carolina State
News Source: AP College Football
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01/07/23 - Brennan Armstrong, rSr/2024, North Carolina State, 6-1, 199 (DS#24 QB) + More +

The hiring of Robert Anae as offensive coordinator has helped N.C. State bring in another quarterback. Brennan Armstrong, who played for Anae at Virginia and set school records in 2021, announced Saturday on social media that it was "Time to run with the Pack" and would join the Wolfpack program as a transfer. Anae left Virginia after the 2021 season, going to Syracuse, then was hired by Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren to replace Tim Beck as offensive coordinator. Beck left to become head coach at Coastal Carolina.

Armstrong, a lefthander, entered the NCAA transfer portal in early December and speculation quickly began that he might join Anae at N.C. State - the Wolfpack also hired Virginia offensive line coach Garett Tujague as its new line coach. Armstrong set single-season records for yards passing (4,449) and touchdowns (31) under Anae in 2021, passing for a school-record 554 yards in one game. But with head coach Bronco Mendenhall and Anae leaving Virginia after the 2021 season, Armstrong's numbers dipped significantly in Tony Elliott's first year as the Virginia head coach: 2,210 passing yards, seven touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2022. - The News & Observer

(DS#24 QB) rSr/2024

QB Brennan Armstrong, North Carolina State
News Source: The News & Observer
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01/05/23 - JaHad Carter, rSr/2025, North Carolina State, 6-1, 206 (DS#999 SS) + More +

Former Syracuse safety Ja'Had Carter has committed to Ohio State, just a few weeks after he entered the transfer portal. Carter was a three-year starter for Syracuse and a key part of the Orange's secondary. Carter played all 12 games this past season, recording three interceptions and leading the team in turnovers. He recorded an interception in SU's narrow 27-21 loss on the road at Clemson in October, while also notching a 90-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the same game that gave Syracuse a 13-7 lead.

The game was the first of three consecutive games where he grabbed an interception. In 2021, he had eight starts, but missed four games due to injury and still finished with 35 tackles and a pass breakup. In 2020, he led all SU defensive backs with 67 tackles, playing in all 11 games with 10 starts at safety. He also recorded two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. - The Daily Orange

(DS#999 SS) rSr/2025

SS JaHad Carter, North Carolina State
News Source: The Daily Orange
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01/03/23 - Grayson McCall, rSr/2025, North Carolina State, 6-2, 221 (DS#999 QB) + More +

Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall is seemingly headed back to Conway, withdrawing from the transfer portal days after playing in the Birmingham Bowl, according to a 247Sports.com report and his own social media account. McCall, 21, is CCU's all-time touchdown leader with 78, racking up more than 8,000 passing yards and emerging as one of the nation's most dominant Group of Five players. The Indian Trail, N.C. native announced Dec. 12 he planned to depart CCU after playing in the Dec. 27 Birmingham Bowl against East Carolina. The Chants dropped that game, 53-29 and ended their season at 9-4.

McCall posted a message to his Instagram account late Jan. 1, writing "run that (expletive) back turbo" soon after 247Sports.com broke news of his apparent decision. The RealMcCall.com, a fan website that tracks his statistics and accomplishments, is attached to CCU football's home page. This past season, his 24 touchdown passes put him among the top 30 FBS quarterbacks in America. He completed 69.1% of his pass attempts this past season, ranking seventh nationally He's a three-time Sun Belt Conference player of the year. - Myrtle Beach Online

(DS#999 QB) rSr/2025

QB Grayson McCall, North Carolina State
News Source: Myrtle Beach Online
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12/28/22 - Grayson McCall, rSr/2025, North Carolina State, 6-2, 221 (DS#999 QB) + More +

Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall, the three-time Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year who entered the transfer portal this month but remained with the Chanticleers for the Birmingham Bowl, was injured Tuesday night in a 53-29 loss to East Carolina. On what will presumably be McCall's final play in a Coastal Carolina uniform, the quarterback authored a 9-yard touchdown run. He was hit while tumbling into the end zone and never returned to the game. Coastal Carolina lost coach Jamey Chadwell to Liberty and hired North Carolina State offensive coordinator Tim Beck to lead the program. Don't be surprised if McCall winds up at Liberty when he exits the portal. - News Observer

(DS#999 QB) rSr/2025

QB Grayson McCall, North Carolina State
News Source: Raleigh News Observer
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12/26/22 - Drake Thomas, rJr/2023, North Carolina State, 5-11, 223 (DS#20 OLB) + More +

N.C. State linebacker Drake Thomas will be playing his final game for the Wolfpack in the Duke's Mayo Bowl, he announced late Friday on social media. Thomas, a second-team All-ACC choice this season, posted on Instagram that he would enter the 2023 NFL draft, saying the decision was "nowhere close to an easy one." Thomas, who led the Pack with 90 tackles in 2022, said he would compete in the bowl game in Charlotte against Maryland, writing, "I can't wait to suit up with my brothers one last time." NCSU coach Dave Doeren said this week that Thomas and linebacker Payton Wilson, who both have eligibility remaining, had not made a decision on the 2023 season.

Drake will join his older brother, Thayer, in playing their final game for the Wolfpack. A younger brother, Lex, is a quarterback who has signed with the Wolfpack and will be a freshman in 2023. "I could never have imagined us three being where we are now," Thomas wrote. "Growing up, living out our childhood dreams together has made this journey that much better." Thomas, highly recruited out of Heritage High, has made 37 starts for the Pack and was a first-team All-ACC selection in 2021. He has had 42 tackles for losses in his Wolfpack career, with 18 sacks, including a team-leading 6.5 sacks and 15 tackles for losses this season. In addressing the Raleigh Sports Club this month, Thomas discussed the decision he was facing involving the NFL. "It basically comes down to if I'm a solidified draft pick and I feel like I have a good shot at getting drafted, then I think the good decision is to go," he said. "But I think if there's some chance I could go undrafted and it's not guaranteed I'm going to play football anymore, I think that's when you come back. Because you love football." - Raleigh News Observer

(DS#20 OLB) rJr/2023

OLB Drake Thomas, North Carolina State
News Source: Raleigh News Observer
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12/20/22 - Brayden Narveson, rSr/2024, North Carolina State, 5-11, 209 (DS#19 K) + More +

2022 ALL-CONFERENCE USA HONORABLE MENTION: K: Brayden Narveson, WKU,...The Hilltoppers also saw 13 players receive honorable mention recognition, including running back Kye Robichaux, wide receiver Daewood Davis, offensive lineman Rusty Staats, offensive lineman Quantavious Leslie, offensive lineman Vincent Murphy, defensive end Juwuan Jones, defensive tackle Brodric Martin, linebacker Derrick Smith, defensive back Kaleb Oliver, defensive back Upton Stout, kicker Brayden Narveson, long snapper Jake Bowman, and Ellard. - Western Kentucky Football

(DS#19 K) rSr/2024

K Brayden Narveson, North Carolina State
News Source: Western Kentucky Football
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