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Raleigh, Wake County

Raleigh: NC State beats California 31-10 at Carter-Finley

NC State won 31-10 on Saturday. The Wolfpack is 4-4 (2-3 ACC). California is 3-6 (2-4). NC State hosts Duke on Nov. 7.

ConfirmedThe main facts are confirmed by official or first-hand sources.

By Triangle Local Staff · Published

Downtown Raleigh buildings under a blue sky

File photo: James Willamor (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

What we know

Confirmed

  • NC State beat California 31-10 on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh.Confirmed by NC State Athletics box score and schedule; California Athletics recap and schedule
  • The line score was California 0-10-0-0 and NC State 7-3-14-7.Confirmed by NC State Athletics box score; California Athletics recap
  • CJ Bailey threw a 49-yard touchdown to Deandre Desinor at 13:29 of the first quarter. Kanoah Vinesett's extra point made it 7-0. Vinesett later kicked a 43-yard field goal at 9:28 of the second quarter for a 10-0 lead.Confirmed by NC State Athletics box score; California Athletics recap
  • Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw a 30-yard touchdown to Chase Hendricks at 4:58 of the second quarter. Towns McGough's extra point made it 10-7. McGough kicked a 38-yard field goal as the half ended, tying the game 10-10.Confirmed by NC State Athletics box score; California Athletics recap
  • Bailey threw a 38-yard touchdown to Chance Robinson at 9:40 of the third quarter, 17-10. Darius Johnson ran 2 yards at 0:11 of the third, 24-10. Davion Gause ran 6 yards at 9:05 of the fourth, 31-10.Confirmed by NC State Athletics box score; California Athletics recap
  • The NC State box score lists Bailey with 192 passing yards. Gause has 104 rushing yards. Sagapolutele has 196 passing yards. Those passing totals also appear on California's recap team table.Confirmed by NC State Athletics box score; California Athletics recap for the two passing totals
  • After the game, NC State is 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the ACC. California is 3-6 and 2-4.Confirmed by NC State Athletics box score and schedule; California Athletics recap and schedule
  • NC State next hosts Duke on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 12:30 p.m. California next plays at Virginia on Saturday, Nov. 14.Confirmed by NC State Athletics 2026 football schedule; California Athletics recap

Still unknown

  • An official NC State written recap. The school's schedule lists the final and links a box score, but not a recap, as of Saturday afternoon

What happened

NC State beat California 31-10 on Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh.

The Wolfpack is 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the ACC. California is 3-6 and 2-4. The NC State box score and schedule, and California's recap and schedule, all list that final and those records.

How it finished

CJ Bailey threw a 49-yard touchdown to Deandre Desinor in the first quarter. Kanoah Vinesett's extra point put NC State up 7-0. Vinesett later added a 43-yard field goal, 10-0.

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele answered with a 30-yard throw to Chase Hendricks. Towns McGough's extra point made it 10-7. McGough's 38-yard field goal as the half ended tied the game 10-10.

Bailey then threw a 38-yard touchdown to Chance Robinson, 17-10. Darius Johnson ran 2 yards just before the end of the third quarter, 24-10. Davion Gause ran 6 yards in the fourth, 31-10.

The official Wolfpack statistical summary lists Bailey with 192 passing yards and Gause with 104 on the ground. California's recap table also lists 192 and 196 passing yards for the two teams.

What's next

NC State hosts Duke on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 12:30 p.m., the Wolfpack schedule says. California's recap lists Virginia on Nov. 14.

This site is not NC State Athletics.

Photos

Text-only. No athletics or outlet photos are used here.

Why it matters

NC State is Raleigh's ACC football team. The Homecoming win lifts the Wolfpack to 2-3 in conference play before a home game against Duke.

Sources

  1. Football vs California on 10/31/2026, box score (Final 31-10; line 0-10-0-0 and 7-3-14-7; Desinor 49-yard pass from Bailey; Vinesett 43-yard field goal; Hendricks 30-yard pass from Sagapolutele; McGough 38-yard field goal; Robinson 38-yard pass from Bailey; Johnson 2-yard run; Gause 6-yard run; Bailey 192; Gause 104; Sagapolutele 196; records 4-4, 2-3 and 3-6, 2-4)

    Official sourcePublished by NC State Athletics · Checked Oct 31, 2026, 4:05 PM

  2. 2026 Football Schedule (California W, 31-10; 4-4, 2-3 ACC; vs. Duke, Nov. 7, 12:30 p.m.)

    Official sourcePublished by NC State Athletics · Checked Oct 31, 2026, 4:05 PM

  3. Bears Fall To Wolfpack, 31-10 (California Athletics recap: 31-10 at Carter-Finley; line 0-10-0-0 and 7-3-14-7; same seven scoring plays; Sagapolutele 196; Bailey 192; Cal 3-6, 2-4 ACC; next at Virginia on Nov. 14)

    Official sourcePublished by California Athletics · Checked Oct 31, 2026, 4:05 PM

  4. 2026 Football Schedule (at NC State L, 10-31; 3-6, 2-4 ACC)

    Official sourcePublished by California Athletics · Checked Oct 31, 2026, 4:05 PM

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