Dave Doeren isn’t tiptoeing around the goal anymore. The NC State coach says a 10-win season in 2026 isn’t just possible - it’s the expectation.
That confidence came through loud and clear Wednesday during Doeren’s sit-down with the ACC Network crew at NC State’s fall camp, where he made it obvious how much he believes in this team heading into Year 14 in Raleigh. The Wolfpack opens the season in Week 0 against Virginia in ACC play on Aug. 29 in Charlottesville, and Doeren sounded ready to put the program’s next breakthrough on the line right away.
When former Georgia and Miami head coach and current ACC Network analyst Mark Richt raised the idea of a 10-win year, Doeren didn’t leave any room for hesitation.
"If you guys win 10 or more [games]," Richt said.
"When," Doeren quipped with a smile. "It's when we win 10 or more."
"I think this year is the year," Richt said. "I really do."
"I do, too," Doeren said. "It's something that, since I've gotten here, I've wanted to do.
It's happened once in school history. The legacy I want to have -- and I want this staff and group of young men to have together -- is breaking through and crossing over boundaries we haven't.
That's one of them."
Doeren’s track record in Raleigh is already the strongest in school history. He has 95 wins, which is 18 more than any other NC State coach, and 10 of his 13 seasons have ended with winning records. He’s also put together eight seasons with at least eight wins and four nine-win campaigns.
Still, the missing piece hangs over the program. NC State has reached double-digit wins only once, back in 2003 when Philip Rivers was a junior. The Wolfpack has never reached the ACC Championship Game, and it has not won an ACC title since 1979.
"I'm sick of being second. These guys know that," Doeren said at ACC Kickoff.
"We're here to do more. That's what drives us.
It's the competitive spirit of winning, the brotherhood that comes along with that that's so special."
The odd part is that NC State has never technically finished second in the ACC, even though Doeren has gotten close to that level more than once. The Wolfpack finished second in the ACC Atlantic in 2017 and 2021 before the league dropped divisions, and came in third in 2023 after a rough start to that season. In both 2017 and 2023, the Pack fell just short of 10 wins and a trip to Charlotte.
If 2026 is going to be the year Doeren keeps talking about, it has to start fast. Virginia is only one of nine conference games, but it’s the first shot at a road win against a team in the mix, and the schedule gets tougher again four weeks later when Louisville, the only Top-5 team on the slate, comes to town.
"I'm really excited -- 16 days until we get to play a game," Doeren said. "It's right around the corner.
These are our last few days of training camp, then we get into school and we start game week prep. It's a team that's hungry.
It's a team that wants to prove itself. And it's hands down one of the most together -- not offense, defense -- but team that I've had in a long time."
In Other News...
NC State Leans Into A Proud Tradition With New Wolfpack Look
NC State is adding another layer to its football identity with a new set of Wolfpack Warriors black-and-gray camouflage uniforms, set to be worn in the home opener against Richmond on Sept. 11. The look is meant to tie the program to a long-running military connection at the university, one rooted in its founding under the Morrill Land-Grant Act and reinforced over generations through training programs, ROTC, and campus landmarks like Memorial Tower.
The uniforms also nod to North Carolinas deep military footprint, including the states major installations, while fitting into a broader effort to keep that history visible to todays students and fans. The timing gives the debut an added layer of meaning, and it comes as NC State continues to highlight its ties to the armed forces through a recent strategic partnership with the U.S. Army. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Pros Are Already Making Noise In NFL Preseason
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NC State alumni were involved in a range of other games, too, as Bam Knight, Cian Slone, Payton Wilson and AJ Cole all logged action for their respective teams. For Wolfpack fans, its another small but useful snapshot of the programs NFL presence, and it comes at a time when preseason snaps can matter just as much for depth-chart positioning as they do for box-score watching. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Unveils A Pride-Fueled Look Tied To Campus Tradition
NC State football has added a special one-off look for its home opener, unveiling new Wolfpack Warriors uniforms in partnership with the U.S. Army. The jerseys are set for the Sept. 11 matchup with Richmond in 2026, and the design leans into black camo elements along with patches, symbols and nods to North Carolinas military installations.
The reveal also comes with more than just a new uniform concept. It is tied to a broader strategic partnership between NC State University and the U.S. Army, giving the game an added layer of campus meaning and military tribute when the Wolfpack takes the field in Raleigh. [Read more 🡒]