TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — CJ Bailey passed for 221 yards and two touchdowns and scored on the ground as North Carolina State beat Memphis 31-7 in the Gasparilla Bowl on Friday.
The Wolfpack finished the season 8-5 (4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) and won a bowl game for the first time since the 2017 Sun Bowl.
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Jayden “Duke” Scott rushed for 108 yards to anchor NC State’s offense. Wesley Grimes led the way with 48 receiving yards on three receptions and six field goals.
North Carolina State opened the scoring on the first possession, with Bailey rushing for 14 yards. The Wolfpack scored on all but two possessions in the first half and took a 31-7 lead into halftime.
Grimes had a 31-yard touchdown run, Teddy Hoffman had his only catch for a 40-yard score, and Will Wilson had a 1-yard rushing touchdown before the end of the first half.
The Tigers (8-5, 4-4 AL) got on the board with Jamari Hawkins’ 28-yard catch. Hawkins had four catches for 32 yards.
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NC State is 18-18-1 in bowl games and making its sixth consecutive appearance. Memphis has a 9-9 record in bowl games and has won four straight from 2020 to 2024. The Tigers are one of seven programs with 12 or more consecutive invitations to the FBS.
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