Anyone who checks CJ Bailey’s stats or watches him on the field is quickly impressed by what he has achieved so far. Even though he didn’t receive a lot of attention, he is in his second year as a starter and entered the year with one of the most impressive freshman campaigns in the history of the Wolfpack. Ever since he joined the team, he has proved that he deserves his position as quarterback.

It’s clear from the results of the Wolfpack and the odds on the best betting sites that the team has one of the best QBs in the ACC. Despite being a starter, he plays like a pro and always finds ways to take over the game and surprise the opponents. His results don’t make him an internationally recognized figure yet. Still, his journey from sophomore starter to the most improved quarterback in the ACC shows just how talented he is.

Entering the Game Against Louisiana Tech

CJ Bailey, who plays for the NC State Wolfpack, has shown promising performances for a long time. After graduating from the Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School in Hollywood, Florida, where he had 9.005 passing yards and 116 touchdowns, he went to North Carolina State University. He wanted to play college football, and little did he know about the lasting impact he was about to make.

In 2024, he entered his true freshman season at NC State. He was a backup to Grayson McCall. Unfortunately for McCall, he got injured while playing against Louisiana Tech. As a result, Bailey joined the game, and his contributions brought the team to victory.

The following week, he entered his first career game against Clemson and finished with 16 of 25 passes for 204 yards, with an interception and a touchdown.

Finishing Tied for 7th in the ACC Preseason Player of the Year Voting

CJ Bailey is in his second year as a starter in 2025. His freshman campaign was one of the best ever when it comes to the NC State Wolfpack group. In the ACC Preseason Player of the Year voting, he finished in a tie for the 7th spot.

He has grown a lot since his freshman year, and his teammates and other members of the Wolfpack recognize his progress. Head coach Dave Doeren admits that Bailey is playing at a high level.

“He sees things. He understands the system. He’s in command of the guys around him. He challenges people. He challenges himself. He has a knack for just knowing what to do. He knows who his guys are. He knows where to throw the football,” he said. “And, what he does on the sideline as a leader, compared to last year, is night and day. He’s always had positive energy and enthusiasm, but he has command now.”

Bringing the Victory Against the ECU

On August 28, 2025, the Wolfpack was ready to open its 2025 season against ECU. Although the team has had many missed opportunities in 2024, this match ended in a victory. The Wolfpack beat East Carolina with a 24-17 win. The defense battled strongly at the end of the game, leaving fans to wonder what could change before the time ran out.

According to head coach Doeren, this game was about getting back the team’s identity while showing just what the players are capable of. CJ Bailey played a huge role in this, as he had the best game in his young career. Bailey threw for 318 yards and had an interception and a touchdown. He also had an 11-yard rushing score.

This game was different from the one the Wolfpack played against Western Carolina the previous year. Bailey and the offense went strong from the opening possession. They managed to score 17 unanswered points. They also had the ball for over 14 of the first 19 minutes of the match.

Great Starts and Finishes in His First Games

The game the Wolfpack played against Wake Forest has also proven that Bailey is not playing around. He was able to show off his skills in front of 19 NFL scouts who attended the game at Allegacy Stadium.

CJ Bailey put on an amazing show by throwing for 201 yards and having three touchdowns. However, Bailey has proven more than once that his performance is consistent.

In the early games, NC State has already been doing very well. In the first three games, the offense started fast thanks to putting more trust in Bailey. Moreover, he threw for 231 yards in the first quarter of three games. Bailey completed 85.2% of his passes in the opening quarters and had a passer rating of 169.28.

Also, in two of the three games, despite the group falling behind early, he was the one who helped the team stay together.

Not only does he know how to start strong, but he also manages to finish in a great manner. In the three fourth quarters, Bailey threw for 163 yards.

He is also better at performing on third down in his sophomore year. He completed 72.7% of his third-down passes in the first three games. Also, 8 of his 16 completions came from first downs.

So far, Bailey’s stats look like this:

What’s Next for CJ Bailey and the Team?

Even though the team still needs to make improvements, Bailey is doing very well, and it looks like things will keep getting better with him in the lead.

The team may need more games to make a proper comparison to last season. Still, if Bailey can keep holding the team together like this, the stats will improve and rank the Wolfpack as one of the top teams. It’s clear that all eyes will be on Bailey in future NC State games.