From the Field: Pack Flips Second-Half Script - NC State University Athletics

Saturday, October 31

Raleigh, NC

12 PM

NC State

4-4 , 2-3

California

3-6 , 2-4

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
California	0	10	0	0	10
NC State	7	3	14	7	31

Game Book

Jackson Vick and Popo Aguirre wrap up a Cal bear

11/1/2026 1:50:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Jeff Gravley

In a week of transition, the Pack played with a purpose and posted a 31-10 win over Cal.

The first offensive series produced a 49-yard touchdown pass from CJ Bailey to running back Deandre Desinor, who was split out as a wide receiver. It created a matchup problem for Cal whose linebacker was no match for the speedy Desinor.

But from that point until halftime, the Pack's offense struggled and only had 108 total yards to show for it. The two squads were even at 10 after two quarters.

In the first seven games, the second half had been an issue. In the first half, the Pack had outscored the opponent135-72; a +63 margin. But it had been a different story in the second half, with the Pack being outscored 91-125, a deficit of 34 points.

This would be a different second half.

Not only did the Pack produce points on the first three drives of the second half, they scored touchdowns.

Bailey connected with Chance Robinson for six and later in the third quarter, Darius Johnson crashed in from two yards out. Davion Gause, who ran for 104 yards on 19 carries, found a crease for a 6-yard score.

Touchdowns instead of field goals.

"That's huge because Coach Goebbel said we like to count by sixes and not by three," Gause explained. "So when we get in the red zone, we want to score."

It was a combination of that mentality coupled, with halftime adjustments and a quarterback who found his groove in the last two quarters.

"Well, that says a lot about Coach (Kurt) Roper and the halftime adjustments we made, and that guy that we have at quarterback is pretty stinking special," interim head coach Todd Goebbel said of Bailey. "And I give him a lot of credit. The man's been through one heck of a year, but man, what a warrior, what a player, leader, all those things. We know if he's back there playing quarterback for us, we always have a chance."

The other part of the second-half success was a shutout by the defense. Linebacker Popo Aguirre led the way with 16 tackles, his second-highest total of the season.

But it wasn't just Aguirre making stops - a multitude of defensive backs stepped in. Michael Tate recorded 7 tackles, Jackson Vick 5, Ronnie Royal III and Brian Nelson II had 4 stops each.

And many of the tackles were in open space. That's where technique and talent come together.

It was the first game of the season that Charlton Warren moved into the role of defensive coordinator. After the game was over, he and Coach Goebbel shared an emotional embrace.

"I challenged Coach Warren and the defense earlier in the week," Goebbel said. "I thought if we could set edges, we could be gap sound, and we tackled well in space, we would have one heck of a game plan. I'll tell you right now, shout out to Coach Warren and that defense. They did exactly that, so I'm very proud of them."

Although he is a different voice leading the program, Goebbel is no stranger to the players.

The running backs knew him as their position coach. As the special teams coach, Goebbel had eyes on multiple positions to pick the players to fill the spots on his special teams squad.

In the lockerroom after the game, Aguirre handed the game ball to Goebbel. "I got a little choked up when they gave it to me," he said.

All week the Pack's new point person talked about three Fs: focus, fundamentals and fun. He evaluated each area after the game.

"We went with the 1-0 mentality," Goebbel said. "The fun piece, just watching the smiles on those guys' faces. They believed, which is good. And the fundamental piece, we talked about it, executing third downs, running the ball effectively and, at the end of the day, tackling in space. All those are base fundamentals. And again, they took the message, they ran with it, they made it come to life for four quarters."

The result was a happy homecoming on Halloween.