Starting QB Bailey returning to NC State for 2026
David HaleJan 2, 2026, 12:48 PM ET Close College football reporter. Joined ESPN in 2012. Graduate of the University of Delaware. NC State will retain starting quarterback CJ Bailey for the 2026 season, he announced on social media. Bailey would have been one of the top quarterbacks available had he entered the transfer portal, but…
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David Hale
NC State will retain starting quarterback CJ Bailey for the 2026 season, he announced on social media.
Bailey would have been one of the top quarterbacks available had he entered the transfer portal, but the two-year starter opted to stay put — a boon for a Wolfpack team looking to build on a strong finish to the 2025 season.
Thrust into the starting role as a true freshman after a season-ending injury to Grayson McCall, Bailey blossomed into one of the more dynamic QBs in the ACC. In 2025, he threw for 3,105 yards, rushed for 215 more, and totaled 31 touchdowns, while leading NC State to a win in Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl.
The Miami, Florida, native was rumored to be a top target for several schools looking for quarterbacks in his home state, but will return to an NC State team that will now have far higher aspirations following an 8-5 campaign that ended with wins in four of its past five games.
For his career, Bailey is 12-10 as a starter with a 70.8 Total QBR, 67% completions, 53 total touchdowns and 19 interceptions.
