NC State hands Memphis its worst loss since the 2022 opener, while collecting its first bowl win since 2017.
A treasure chest was on the line in Tampa, FL for the 2025 Gasparilla Bowl, and NC State plundered and pillaged its way to gold during the hunt.
The Wolfpack seamlessly dominated Memphis 31-7 for the coveted postseason win, handing the Tigers’ their fourth-straight loss to end the year. Bowl streaks were snapped on both sides as NC State collected its first bowl victory since the 2017 Sun Bowl, while Memphis saw its 4-game bowl win streak snap, suffering its first postseason defeat since the 2019 Cotton Bowl.
NC State wasted no time in building a significant lead, only needing four possessions to jump to a 21-0 lead. Quarterback CJ Bailey ran in a 14-yard touchdown to set the tone on the opening drive, and two series later, the sophomore fired a 31-yard strike to Wesley Grimes at the goal line. Backup quarterback Will Wilson then plunged in a 1-yard touchdown to rewrite the score to 21-0 on the opening play of the second quarter, ensuring the Wolfpack had full control of the ballgame.
Memphis, which entered the game under the direction of interim head coach Reggie Howard — the bridge between the Ryan Silverfield and Charles Huff eras — was limited offensively. The Tigers were unexpectedly down top rusher Sutton Smith and top receiver Cortez Braham Jr., and they struggled to formulate a working offense without their skill position savants. They notched their lone touchdown in the late second quarter on a 28-yard connection from sixth-year senior quarterback Brendon Lewis to Jamari Hawkins.
However, NC State immediately undid the damage with a touchdown three-and-a-half minutes later. With 1:28 left in the second quarter, Bailey found true freshman receiver Teddy Hoffman completely unguarded downfield, and he swashbuckled into the end zone for a 40-yard score. Dave Doeren’s Wolfpack held a commanding 31-7 advantage at halftime, and the rest of the game was just filler time — as the second half turned out to be a 0-0 stalemate.
NC State’s All-American inside linebacker Caden Fordham won Gasparilla Bowl MVP honors for a dominant performance which featured 13 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a near-pick six. Fordham picked off a pass in the late first quarter for a 55-yard return — cementing his college tenure with his second career interception, as well as his ninth 10+ tackle showing of 2025.
The Fordham-led Wolfpack defense won the turnover battle 2-0 and stopped Memphis on all three fourth down tries. As a unit, NC State stymied the Tigers — which had 50-straight games of 20+ points until the regular season finale — to their lowest scoring output since Oct. 22, 2021.
Memphis (8-5, 4-4 American) follows a promising start to 2025 with an 0-4 finish, suffering its first postseason defeat in six years. Additionally, the Gasparilla Bowl was the Tigers’ first defeat by more than 12 points since the 2022 season opener. Memphis aims to regroup and start a new era under Charles Huff in 2026, hoping to build on this successful era of 12-straight winning seasons.
NC State (8-5, 4-4 ACC) finally collects another bowl win under longtime head coach Dave Doeren, ending a 7-year drought devoid of a postseason celebration. The Wolfpack finished 2-0 against the American Conference this season, opening the year with a win over East Carolina and concluding it with a decisive win over Memphis in the first-ever meeting between the Tigers and Wolfpack.
The Gasparilla Bowl treasure chest now belongs in Raleigh, NC.
Category: General Sports
