NC State’s meeting with Richmond on Sept. 11 carries a long trail of history, and the Wolfpack have spent most of it in control. The two programs first crossed paths in 1895, and this week’s matchup will be the 20th time they’ve lined up against each other. NC State has won 18 of the 20 games, with Richmond’s lone victory coming in 1970 and the other result ending in a 0-0 tie back in 1906, when NC State was still known as the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts.
The last time these teams met came in 2013, which also happened to be Dave Doeren’s second game in Raleigh. That one went down to the wire before Niklas Sade drilled a 48-yard field goal with 33 seconds left to lift the Wolfpack to a 23-21 win. State fans would be happy to avoid any resemblance to that season, since the 2013 team finished 3-9, dropped eight straight games and went winless in ACC play.
Richmond arrives with enough pedigree to keep NC State alert. The Spiders have claimed one national championship, in 2008, along with 14 conference titles and 14 playoff appearances. Russ Huesman has been in charge for 10 seasons, and his run has included two conference championships and multiple playoff trips.
They opened Patriot League play with a 35-14 win over Bucknell last weekend, a result that pushed them to No. 23 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll. The offense showed plenty of ways to hurt a defense.
Ashten Snelsire passed for 199 yards and three touchdowns, highlighted by a 75-yard strike to Bryce Allen. Allen finished with four catches for 106 yards and two scores, while senior running back Aziz Foster-Powell added 115 yards and two touchdowns on 15 touches.
Richmond’s defense did its part, too. The Spiders shut out Bucknell in the first half, piled up five sacks and held the Bison to just 32 rushing yards.
NC State can’t treat this like a tune-up. Richmond has a history of catching ACC teams off guard, and the last time it happened came in 2016 against in-state rival Virginia.
In Other News...
Jakobi Meyers Is Closing In On Major NC State NFL History
Jakobi Meyers has spent seven seasons carving out a place in the NFL that few undrafted receivers ever reach, and the former NC State standout is now stacking up numbers that put him in rare company from both angles. Through 7 seasons, he has 468 catches for 5,427 yards and 23 touchdowns, production that already has him 20th all-time among undrafted players in receiving yards while also putting him near the top of the Wolfpacks NFL record books.
For NC State fans, the broader significance is easy to see: Meyers is no longer just a nice success story, but one of the programs most productive pass catchers at the pro level. With his recent performance keeping him on that trajectory, the next question is how high he can climb among former Wolfpack receivers and where he ultimately lands on the broader list of undrafted NFL wideouts. [Read more 🡒]
Jarkel Joiner Just Landed Another Shot To Keep His NBA Dream Alive
Jarkel Joiner is getting another crack at making an NBA impression, this time with a familiar in-state backdrop. The former NC State guard has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Charlotte Hornets, a move that keeps him in the league pipeline after previous stops in the NBA G League and Summer League with several organizations, including Atlanta and Toronto.
Charlotte cleared the roster spot by waiving guard Kyle Mangas in the corresponding move, and Joiner now heads into camp with a chance to turn another opportunity into something more lasting. For a player who has kept working his way through the pro ranks since leaving Raleigh, it is the sort of chance that can keep a dream alive a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
NC States NFL Pipeline Looks Better Than Some ACC Fans Realize
NC States professional footprint is bigger than it sometimes gets credit for, with 18 former players on NFL rosters right now. That total puts the Wolfpack tied for 28th nationally and fourth among ACC programs, a useful reminder that Raleigh has been sending more than a few players to Sundays even as the broader college football conversation often overlooks it.
The deeper look at the league map shows a steady spread of former Pack players across positions and teams, the kind of presence that speaks to more than just one star here or there. It also includes alumni who have already stacked up Pro Bowl and All-Pro recognition, which only sharpens the case that NC States pipeline is not a fleeting talking point but a real part of its football identity. [Read more 🡒]