NC State’s Week 6 meeting with Wake Forest now has a kickoff time, and the Wolfpack will be back on The CW when the ACC matchup kicks at 12 p.m. on Monday afternoon.
That network hasn’t exactly treated NC State kindly lately. The Wolfpack opened 3-0 on The CW with wins over Marshall, Clemson and Wake Forest at home in 2023 and 2024, but the next three appearances on the channel all ended in one-score losses. NC State fell to Syracuse and Wake Forest in 2024, then dropped another tight one to a Virginia Tech team coached by an interim head coach in 2025.
This year’s matchup comes with plenty of recent history between the programs. NC State has taken four of the last six against Wake Forest overall, but the Wolfpack’s last home game against the Demon Deacons ended in a 34-30 defeat.
That game turned on a frightening injury to Grayson McCall after he was hit without his helmet and fumbled the ball, with Wake Forest returning the turnover for a touchdown on the next drive. CJ Bailey stepped in and threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, while Demond Claiborne powered Wake Forest with 136 rushing yards and two scores.
The teams meet again with a different feel around both sidelines. Jake Dickert is now leading Wake Forest, while Dave Doeren and CJ Bailey are still looking for a quality win this season.
The Demon Deacons are 3-1 and 1-1 in the ACC, with their only loss coming against No. 3 Miami and road wins already in hand at Purdue and Louisville.
In Other News...
NC States Louisville Game Plan Just Got Much More Complicated
Louisvilles preparation for NC State has taken an immediate turn, with head coach Jeff Brohm saying quarterback Lincoln Kienholz is a game-time decision after suffering an injury in the Cardinals recent loss. Kienholz has been an important part of Louisvilles offense, so his status adds a layer of uncertainty to a matchup the Wolfpack already had reason to study closely.
For NC State, the challenge now is less about one opponent and more about two possible versions of the same offense. If Kienholz cannot go, Louisville could turn to backup Davin Wydner or Briggs Cherry, forcing the Wolfpack to account for a different rhythm, different tendencies and a different kind of preparation right up until kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Had Several Players Step Up When This Game Got Tight
NC State got the kind of win that can settle a team down for a week, even if it took a little more work than it appeared it might early on. The Wolfpack beat App State 41-31 and moved back to .500, with several players making sure the night did not turn into one of those frustrating losses where a lead slips away and nobody can quite stop the momentum.
Keenan Jackson, Popo Aguirre, Jackson Vick, CJ Bailey and Duke Scott all had a hand in keeping the game pointed NC States way when App State pushed back late. It was the sort of effort the Pack will want to bottle going forward, because the margin tightened, the pressure rose and the game still ended with NC State finding enough answers on both sides to finish the job. [Read more 🡒]
NC State May Have Found A Crucial Answer Up Front
Teague Andersens move inside gave NC State exactly the kind of stability it needed in the middle of the line during the Wolfpacks 41-31 win over Appalachian State. After shifting from right tackle to center because of an injury, Andersen earned ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors, grading out at 92.77 percent while logging five pancake blocks over 82 snaps. He also helped anchor an offensive front that opened the way for 459 total yards, including 206 on the ground.
For a team trying to settle its protection and run game early, Andersens performance offered a promising glimpse of what the Wolfpack might have found up front. The bigger question now is whether that same kind of line play can hold when NC State faces more pressure and has to keep adjusting around personnel changes. [Read more 🡒]