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Wide receiver Keenan Jackson and quarterback CJ Bailey clicked on Saturday. Jackson caught nine passes for 102 yards and 3 touchdowns against Vanderbilt.
For his effort, Jackson was named the ACC Offensive Receiver of the Week.
Jackson’s first touchdown came during NC State’s second offensive possession when the Wolfpack had a 7-0 lead over the Commodores.
Bailey and Jackson connected for a 30-yard touchdown reception on that drive.
His second score came with 8:52 in the third quarter, pushing State’s lead back to 17 points (24-7).
Vanderbilt found ways to eat into NC State’s lead, getting it down to three points early in the fourth quarter.
However, on the next possession, Bailey led a 9-play drive that ended with him and Jackson connecting again on a 23-yard touchdown reception.
Everyone remembers how this game ended, but fewer realize that Jackson became only the 12th player in NC State’s history to score three or more receiving touchdowns in a single game.
It’s encouraging to see that Bailey and Jackson found a connection, considering the offense was nonexistent against Virginia.
Against Richmond, Jackson led the team with 123 yards on only 4 catches; that’s good for 30.8 yards per reception.
Jackson is the first NC State receiver to catch 100+ yards in back-to-back games since 2018.
He is currently 3rd in the ACC in touchdown receptions. His 77 receiving yards per game is currently the 6th-best in the conference.
Questions remain about NC State after its first three games of the season.
Sandwiched between its two disappointing losses is a 73-point victory over an FCS team that felt good in the moment, but doesn’t provide any assurance about where this season is headed.
One thing for certain is that Keenan Jackson is a playmaker. He’ll be a bright spot on this offense this season.
And as a team captain, his biggest contribution may be in the locker room, especially after how the game ended last weekend. Jackson’s leadership is needed now more than ever.
CJ Bailey played well enough to put NC State in position for victory, but his one blunder cost the Wolfpack everything.
Unfortunately, the consequences of that one play in the final seconds of the game will stay with Bailey for a while.
Jackson is the type of person who can help Bailey move on from that incident.
“That’s my quarterback,” Jackson said after the Richmond win. “I’ve been with him every single day since we stepped on campus my freshman year in January. So you know when you step on that field, we both expect the best out of each other.”
Let’s hope Jackson and Bailey continue bringing their best this season.
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Andre Cherry began covering college football in 2010 through his CherryPickin podcast network. Andre originally hails from Chicagoland and is a proud Illinois State alum. He has lived in Philadelphia since 2014 and has previously covered Temple Football. Andre has a broadcast journalism background and got his start in media at WSCR the Score. He’s written for Fox Sports, Bridgehead Media, cinéSPEAK Journal, and IPMF.
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