Honestly, looking back at the nc state football schedule 2024, it’s a miracle Dave Doeren’s hair didn’t turn entirely white by October. It was a rollercoaster. No, it was more like one of those old wooden rollercoasters where you’re pretty sure a bolt is loose and the guy next to you is screaming in a way that feels a bit too real.
Expectations were sky-high. We’re talking "preseason Top 25" high. The Wolfpack entered the season ranked No. 24 in the AP Poll, fueled by the arrival of Grayson McCall and a sense that this was finally the year the 10-win barrier would shatter. Instead, the schedule became a gauntlet of "what-ifs" and brutal injury reports.
The Grind of the 2024 Calendar
If you just look at the final 6-7 record, you're missing the context. You've gotta see how the season actually unfolded week by week. It wasn't just losing; it was how and who they lost.
The season kicked off at Carter-Finley against Western Carolina. A 38-21 win, sure. But it felt clunky. Then came the Charlotte disaster. The Duke’s Mayo Classic against No. 14 Tennessee was supposed to be a statement. Basically, the statement was that Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava was as good as advertised, and State’s offense was in for a long year. A 51-10 shellacking in front of over 72,000 people.
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Here is how the meat of that nc state football schedule 2024 actually played out:
- Aug 29: Western Carolina (W, 38-21) — McCall looked okay, but the run game was "meh."
- Sept 7: vs. Tennessee in Charlotte (L, 10-51) — The night the hype died.
- Sept 14: Louisiana Tech (W, 30-20) — A win, but at what cost? McCall got dinged.
- Sept 21: at Clemson (L, 35-59) — Death Valley was a nightmare. The Tigers put up 28 in the first quarter.
- Sept 28: Northern Illinois (W, 24-17) — Gritty, ugly, and necessary.
The October stretch was where the wheels really started to wobble. Losing back-to-back home games to Wake Forest and Syracuse? That’s not supposed to happen in Raleigh. The Wake Forest game (30-34) was particularly haunting because it was the day Grayson McCall took that terrifying hit.
The Quarterback Carousel and the CJ Bailey Era
When McCall went down, the season shifted. Enter CJ Bailey. A true freshman. Tall, lanky, and thrown into the fire against ACC defenses. Sorta crazy when you think about it—the kid was playing high school ball in Miami a year prior.
The trip to Cal on Oct 19 was the program's first West Coast regular-season game since the 1960s. They won 24-23. It was a flight home that actually felt good for once. Then they demolished Stanford 59-28. For a second, it felt like the Pack might actually salvage a winning season.
The Late-Season Heartbreak
If you're an NC State fan, the end of the 2024 regular season was a mix of "Are you kidding me?" and genuine pride. They lost a heartbreaker to Duke (19-29) and a literal one-point nail-biter to Georgia Tech (29-30) on a Thursday night.
But then, the UNC game happened.
There is something about playing the Tar Heels that turns this team into a different beast. On Nov 30 in Chapel Hill, CJ Bailey showed why he’s the future. A 35-30 win. It’s the kind of game that buys a coach another year of peace, even with a losing record elsewhere.
The Military Bowl Meltdown
The nc state football schedule 2024 officially ended in Annapolis on Dec 28. The Military Bowl against East Carolina.
Talk about a rivalry game in a random location. State fought back from 20-7 down to lead 21-20. Then, Rahjai Harris happened. An 86-yard touchdown run with 93 seconds left. Game over. 26-21.
Why the Injuries Mattered More Than the Scheme
Doeren was pretty open about this late in the year. He mentioned how he "hated" coaching the 2023 team because of the selfishness, but he loved this 2024 group. The problem? They were decimated.
By late October, the list was staggering:
- Grayson McCall (QB): Out with a career-ending concussion.
- Caden Fordham (LB): Out for the season after a practice injury.
- Devan Boykin (SAF): Still recovering from an ACL.
- Brandon Cisse (CB): Missed significant time.
When your depth goes from four-deep to two-deep, the reps catch up to you. You see it in the fourth quarter. You see it on special teams.
Actionable Insights for 2025
If you’re tracking this program, the 2024 schedule was a bridge. It was painful, but it revealed a few key things:
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- CJ Bailey is the guy: He finished the bowl game with 230 yards and 3 TDs. The kid has "it."
- Defensive rebuild is priority one: Giving up 50+ to Tennessee and Clemson showed the gap between the Pack and the elite.
- The Portal is crucial: With KC Concepcion gone and the roster thinning, Doeren has to hit the transfer market for offensive line help and secondary depth.
Go watch the 2024 UNC game highlights if you need a reminder of what this team can be when the chips are down. Then, keep an eye on the spring portal window—that's where the 2025 season will actually be won or lost.