How NC State QB CJ Bailey was sacked a season-most 5 times in loss to Virginia Tech

CJ Bailey dropped back to pass just after the first-half two-minute timeout concluded, looking downfield to make a play. But as NC State’s sophomore quarterback surveyed the field, the pocket around him started to shrink. With each passing millisecond, it seemed as if the area around him was engulfed like a flash flood on the coast.  Sure enough, Bailey didn’t even see it coming. Virginia Tech’s Elhadj Fall, a Georgia Southern transfer, came from the left side of NC State’s offensive line, Bailey’s blindside as a right-handed passer, and tossed the 6-foot-6, 213-pound signal-caller to the ground by his shoulder pads.  That critical sack looked as if a dog was done with its chew toy. Bailey was thrown down for a nine-yard loss to put the Wolfpack well behind the chains on a drive that it was looking to answer a Hokies made field goal.  It didn't, however.  That sequence was indicative of how NC State’s offensive line, especially in the first half, held up in its 23-21 loss to Virginia Tech on Saturday night at Carter-Finley Stadium as the Wolfpack sputtered to a 3-2 (1-2 ACC) mark to open the 2025 campaign.