NC State Clinches Bowl Eligibility with Victory Over Florida State

NC State secured bowl eligibility with a 21-11 victory over Florida State on Friday night at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh. The win moved the NC State Wolfpack to 6-5 overall and 3-4 in ACC play, while the Florida State Seminoles dropped to 5-6 and 2-6 in the conference. The Wolfpack capitalized on late special teams errors by Florida State, scoring twice in the fourth quarter to seal the game. Tight end Justin Joly caught a decisive 12-yard touchdown pass from CJ Bailey on fourth down with 1:47 remaining, coming directly after back-to-back muffed punts by the Seminoles. This extended NC State’s lead to two possessions and effectively ended the contest. Joly finished with five receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown, while Bailey completed 18 of 25 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Florida State outgained NC State 383-286 in total yardage, but struggled to convert drives into points. Quarterback Tommy Castellanos threw for 203 yards on 16-of-32 passing with one touchdown and two interceptions, and also led the Seminoles in rushing with 76 yards. Duce Robinson was FSU’s top receiver with 74 yards and a touchdown, surpassing 1,000 receiving yards for the season. Key moments included a 15-play, 79-yard touchdown drive by NC State in the third quarter, capped by a one-yard run from backup quarterback Will Wilson. The Wolfpack controlled possession for nearly 33 minutes and did not commit a turnover, while Florida State turned the ball over four times, including two crucial muffed punts late. Special teams proved costly for the Seminoles. Jake Weinberg missed two field goals, including a 51-yard attempt in the fourth quarter that would have cut the deficit. Florida State’s offense reached the red zone only twice, coming away with eight points. With the win, NC State became bowl eligible for the season, continuing their recent success in home games under the Friday night lights. For Florida State, the loss marked their fourth straight road defeat, putting their postseason hopes in jeopardy. For full game stats, highlights, and analysis, visit the official Florida State vs. NC State box score on ESPN or follow further coverage from FSU Football on Twitter.