NC State football 2024 season in review: Injuries prove costly, underclassmen help the Wolfpack regroup

By: Ethan McDowell and Noah Fleischman NC State football needed a clutch drive in the final minutes of its regular season to clinch bowl eligibility this season, and the Pack delivered.  When the team asked its offense to step up against North Carolina, it did just that. Freshman quarterback CJ Bailey engineered a go-ahead scoring drive to put the Wolfpack up 35-30 in the final minute thanks to a deep ball to redshirt freshman receiver Noah Rogers.  That win highlighted a trend that defined NC State’s 2024 season. NC State leaned on its underclassmen this fall, and they grew and improved throughout the 6-6 campaign that ended in a rivalry win over UNC. For the fourth season in a row, the Pack beat the Tar Heels.  Close losses, letdowns on a national stage and critical injuries held the program back from the leap it expected to make in 2024. The emergence of Bailey and many other underclassmen helped NC State generate some positive vibes going into the offseason.  “These guys are young sophomores, juniors, freshmen, so just them having the ability to mature throughout the season and make the plays that are needed to be made, it just makes me very happy, and I'm very hopeful for the future of this program,” graduate defensive lineman Davin Vann said after the win over Cal.