NC State Dominates Memphis In Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Let’s be honest, Wolfpack fans: it’s been a minute. Since 2017, to be exact. That’s how long it’s been since NC State hoisted a bowl trophy. There have been heartbreaks, cancellations, and just plain bad luck in the postseason for nearly a decade. But on a Friday night in Tampa, amidst the pirate-themed pageantry of the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl, the drought finally ended.
And it wasn’t just a win; it was a raid. NC State didn’t just beat Memphis; they thoroughly dismantled them 31-7, snapping a four-game bowl losing streak and sending the hardware back to Raleigh in style. If you like offense, you loved the first half. If you like defense, you loved the whole game. If you’re Dave Doeren, you probably just loved smiling on a podium again.
A First Half For the Record Books
You could tell from the opening kickoff that NC State wasn’t interested in a close game. They wanted a statement. Quarterback CJ Bailey looked less like a sophomore and more like a seasoned pro, orchestrating an offense that Memphis simply couldn’t figure out.
The Wolfpack jumped out to a 21-0 lead so fast it made heads spin. Bailey opened the scoring himself with a 14-yard trot into the end zone, and moments later, he was dropping dimes—specifically a 31-yard strike to Wesley Grimes. When backup QB Will Wilson plunged in for a 1-yard score to start the second quarter, the rout was officially on.
But the dagger? That came right before the half. Just when Memphis thought they had a sliver of hope after a touchdown, Bailey found freshman Teddy Hoffman on a double move for a 40-yard score. That made it 31-7 at the break, setting a Gasparilla Bowl record for points in a half. The second half was a scoreless stalemate, but the game was over before the bands even took the field for halftime.
The Caden Fordham Show
While the NC State offense was putting up video game numbers, Linebacker Caden Fordham was playing a different game entirely. The MVP of the night was absolutely everywhere.
Fordham finished with 13 tackles, but it was his interception in the first quarter that stole the show. A tipped ball that should have hit the turf somehow ended up in his hands, and he rumbled deep into Tigers territory to set up another score. It was the kind of performance that defensive coordinators dream about. The NC State defense stifled Memphis all night, holding them to their lowest point total since 2021.
Momentum Heading Into 2026
This wasn’t just a feel-good win; it was necessary. Finishing the season 8-5 looks a whole lot better than 7-6, especially when you cap it off by dominating a solid program like Memphis.
Coach Doeren has taken his fair share of heat for the postseason dry spell, but this win silences a lot of that noise. With a young core flashing serious potential, and a defense that can lock down opponents when it matters, the future in Raleigh looks bright. The treasure chest belongs to NC State tonight, and for the Wolfpack faithful, that gold has been a long time coming.
