RALEIGH — NC State interim coach Todd Goebbel ended a rough week with a big victory, a game ball and the hope that his former boss was smiling.
NC State started the post-Dave Doeren era with a second-half shutout and a resounding 31-10 win over visiting Cal at Carter-Finley Stadium.
In its first game under Goebbel, NC State — which has struggled badly in the second half of games this season, outscored the Bears 21-0 after halftime. CJ Bailey had two long touchdown passes in the game, and the Wolfpack defense limited Cal to 269 yards of total offense in the first game.
Players gave Goebbel, who has been on the staff since 2019, a game ball. A 28-year coaching veteran, Saturday marked Goebbel’s first game as a head coach. Goebbel and defensive coordinator Charlton Warren, who was elevated to playcaller this week, embraced on the sideline after the win.
“The game ball was pretty special,” he said. “For those guys to believe in me in a very adverse time and then go out and perform the way they did, and then receiving a game ball, I’d be remiss to say it wasn’t special. Got a little choked up when given it.”
The Wolfpack improved to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the ACC.
Doeren, the program’s all-time leader in coaching wins, was fired Oct. 24one day after a loss at Stanford dropped the Wolfpack to 3-4 on the season. The Wolfpack also fired general manager Andy Vaughn and defensive coordinator DJ Eliot as part of the staff shakeup.
Goebbel opened his postgame remarks by thanking Doeren, who he said built the program the “right way.”
“This is for you, Coach Doeren,” Goebbel said. “I hope you’re smiling somewhere. But this is for you.”
Former NC State quarterback Philip Rivers has been linked to the job since before Doeren was fired seven games into his 14th season. Rivers, a former NFL standout and Wolfpack legend, said Friday night there’s “nothing imminent” with a coaching return to Raleigh. Rivers has never coached in college football or the NFL.
NC State’s 31-game home sellout streak ended for the noon kickoff on Halloween against the Bears (3-6, 2-4).
“It was a rough week,” linebacker Popo Aguirre said.
But the Wolfpack showed no ill effects from the tumultuous time.
Bailey connected with Deandre Desinor for a 49-yard touchdown catch-and-run on the first drive. NC State added a 43-yard field goal from Kanoah Vinesett in the second quarter to expand its lead to 10-0.
Cal cut the deficit with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele to Chase Hendricks. Cal kicker Towns McGough, who had earlier missed a 40-yard field goal after a Bailey fumble set up the Bears in excellent field position, connected on a 38-yarder as time expired in the second quarter.
NC State has been outscored 125-67 in the second half of games against Football Bowl Subdivision teams this season. The Wolfpack turned that around Saturday under Goebbel.
Bailey said the locker room was calm at halftime without much yelling or even vocal pep talks.
“There was not even a lot of emotion,” Bailey said. “A lot of times when stuff happens like that we get emotional and things start to happen in the second half. Everybody was levelheaded in that locker room, and I’m so thankful for having a team like that. No coaches or no guys were screaming and panicking. It was just a calm locker room, and I appreciate that.”
Bailey hit Chance Robinson for a 38-yard touchdown early in the third quarter to give NC State a 17-10 lead. The Wolfpack made it 24-10 on a 2-yard touchdown run by Darius Johnson late in the third quarter, and Davion Gause added a 6-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring.
Bailey completed 13-of-25 passes for 192 yards and those two touchdowns.
NC State rushed for 32 yards in the first half on 16 attempts, but finished the game with 135 yards on the ground. With starting running back Duke Scott out for the third consecutive game, Gause had 104 rushing yards, his first 100-yard game of the season.
The defense had three sacks. NC State had allowed 425 yards per game to its FBS opponents. But in its first with Warren calling the plays, NC State held Cal in check. The Bears were 5-for-18 on third-down conversions.
“Coach Warren, in my opinion, is a master tactician, but more importantly, I think, he galvanized everybody that is on the defensive side,” Goebbel said. “Defined a common goal of what we’re going to be and how we’re going to approach games. And for him to put a plan together with the rest of the coaching staff, execute it the way they did, shout out to the whole defensive staff. They did a helluva job.”
NC State needs two wins in its final four games to achieve bowl eligibility for the 12th time in 13 years.
Even as the program finishes the season, the focus is firmly on the future — and Rivers, the popular former player who could help deliver a massive influx of giving and fundraising for a program in need.
NC State Chancellor Kevin Howellk and athletics director Boo Corrigan, in a letter to donors this week, said the university is “fully committed” to competing in the new era of college athletics.
“We believe this is the right time for a new chapter, with fresh leadership and renewed energy to elevate Wolfpack Football to the next level,” they wrote.
The Wolfpack has won more than nine games in a season just once in its history — an 11-3 season in 2002 with Rivers as quarterback — and has never played in the ACC Championship Game, which was established in 2005. NC State last won the ACC title in 1979.
Source: www.wral.com
