BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — CJ Bailey passed for 306 yards and two touchdowns, including a 41-yarder to Hollywood Smothers in the fourth quarter, rallying North Carolina State to a 24-23 win over California on Saturday.

Bailey had an uneven day and was under a lot of pressure from the Bears defense before leading the Wolfpack on their winning drive. The freshman quarterback completed 25 of 36 passes to help North Carolina State (4-4, 1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) win a game they were mostly outplayed in.

“He doesn’t flinch,” North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren said. “He stays positive and he’s just got that it factor when it comes to how he manages things and overcomes. Even when he makes a bad play it doesn’t rattle him.”

The Wolfpack trailed 23-10 and hadn’t been able to find much rhythm to their offense until the final quarter.

After a fumble on a muffed punt return set up Bailey’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Dacari Collins that cut Cal’s lead to 23-17, N.C. State’s defense held up and got the ball back after forcing the Bears to punt.

North Carolina State rallies to beat Cal 24-23 | iNFOnews.ca — NC State tight end Justin Joly (15) fails to score a touchdown while being tackled by California defensive back Cam Sidney (20) during the first half of an NCAA college football game at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group via AP)

Bailey was at his best on that drive, completing four of seven attempts for 80 yards including the game-winner to Smothers with 6:32 remaining.

“It feels really great to know that I have good play-makers and good guys around me,” Bailey said. “I was taking sacks that I didn’t have to take.”

Smothers said the Wolfpack are gaining confidence in Bailey almost daily.

“It comes natural to him,” Smothers said. “Gotta keep believing in him. He’s going to get the job done. CJ (has) everything he needs to be great.”

Cal missed a chance to win when freshman kicker Derek Morris pushed a 28-yard attempt wide right with 1:37 remaining.

Morris, who won the kicking job in practice earlier this week after Ryan Coe missed a critical kick in the final two minutes of last Saturday’s loss to No. 20 Pittsburgh, had previously converted from 41, 26 and 24 yards in his college debut.

The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Wolfpack.

The Bears, on the other hand, remain winless in conference play in their first season in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Cal (3-4, 0-4) has lost all four of its conference games by a total of nine points.

Fernando Mendoza completed 30 of 42 throws for 282 yards for Cal. Jaivian Thomas ran for 78 yards and two touchdowns.

“It’s going to take a lot of self-evaluation,” Mendoza said. “It sucks. No one’s happy right now. But it takes a little bit of ‘be real with yourself.’”

California joined the ACC this summer after the collapse of the Pac-12. The Golden Bears lost their first three conference games by a total of eight points before hosting the Wolfpack in the first meeting between the two schools.

Thomas got Cal off to a quick start when he scored on a 49-yard touchdown on the Bears’ first running play. A sophomore who has been starting in place of injured Jaydn Ott, Thomas added a 7-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

North Carolina State trailed early then rallied to take a 10-7 lead following Kanoah Vinesett’s 27-yard field goal and KC Concepcion’s 2-yard touchdown run in the first half. Concepcion’s touchdown came two plays after Bailey threw a 31-yard completion on fourth-and-8.

The takeaway

North Carolina State: The Wolfpack didn’t show a lot of life until the end, but to leave Memorial Stadium with a win was huge for Doeren’s team in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. They have a bye week to celebrate before trying to win consecutive games for the first time this season.

California: A fourth straight gut-punch loss for the Golden Bears has Justin Wilcox’s squad reeling. Cal did almost everything right but couldn’t sustain the momentum for a full 60 minutes and paid the price for letting up at the end.

Up next

North Carolina State: Hosts Stanford on Nov. 2.

California: Faces Oregon State at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 26.