Instant observations: NC State rolls past UNC behind balanced attack

Just hours before North Carolina officially announced Bill Belichick as its next football coach last December, NC State quarterback CJ Bailey was eager for his chance to square off with the six-time Super Bowl champion.  Bailey, an ever-confident signal-caller, was brutally honest when he talked about the opportunity to play Belichick. After all, he was just 12 days removed from leading the Wolfpack to a come-from-behind win over UNC in Chapel Hill, at the time. “Shoot, Bill Belichick will get it too. We’re going for five years [in a row],” Bailey said on Dec. 11, 2024. “No matter who the coach is for UNC, we’re going to kick them. It means a lot that I could play against Bill Belichick, but if he comes to play, we’re going to kill them. We’re going to kill them.” As it turned out, Bailey might have seen into the future. The young quarterback’s oozing confidence came to fruition as the Wolfpack raced past the Tar Heels 42-19 in Belichick’s first taste of the NC State-UNC rivalry.  Bailey threw for 201 yards with two touchdowns, while he led the team with 65 yards on eight carries to power NC State’s offense. Senior wideout Wesley Grimes led the receiving corps with five receptions for 61 yards. Here are TheWolfpacker.com’s observations from the dominant victory.