NC State is staring at a chance to keep its ACC momentum moving, but Wake Forest is not showing up to Raleigh as a soft landing spot.
The Demon Deacons arrive at 4-1 after hammering Stanford 57-3, and Dave Doeren made it clear he expects a fight. “They’re playing well.
They're playing with confidence. And I look forward to the opportunity to battle with them,” NC State Head Coach Dave Doeren said.
There is some recent history here, too. NC State beat Wake Forest 34-24 last season and has taken two of the last three meetings, though the Wolfpack dropped the most recent home matchup.
One of the clearest pressure points in this game is Wake Forest’s plan against CJ Bailey. Bailey can carve up defenses when he has time, as he did against Louisville, which is why Wake’s front is expected to come after him early. Against Lincoln Kienholz and Louisville, the Wake defense posted nine tackles for loss and four sacks.
That same kind of disruption showed up again against Stanford. Wake finished with nine tackles for loss and four sacks in that game as well, and Langston Hardy and Gabe Kirschke have been major reasons why. Both edge rushers have three sacks this season, and they’ll be looking to create problems in the backfield again.
Wake Forest’s biggest offensive concern for NC State starts with Carlos Hernandez. He has been the top threat outside of Lopez and ranks second in the ACC in total receiving yards, behind only Malachi Toney, while sitting fifth nationally. He has been an issue for nearly every defense Wake has faced, and Gio has been on the same page with him.
The challenge with Hernandez is not just finding him. It is bringing him down once he catches the ball.
He has the quickness and wiggle to turn routine completions into chunk plays, which helps explain his 16.3 yards per reception. Gio will likely try to get him involved early, and NC State has to keep that from becoming a rhythm starter for the offense.
The other question is who steps up if Hernandez is covered tightly. Wake has gotten solid games from other receivers, but it needs another dependable option to emerge for Lopez.
Jack Foley may be making that case after grabbing three catches for 54 yards and a touchdown last week, and he also turned in a strong showing against Miami. Transfers Antonio Meeks and Kam Shanks have flashed as well, and Wake will be hoping that one or more of them can provide steadier production.
For now, the receiving room has been good enough. The next step is consistency, especially with defenses starting to key in on Hernandez.
Wake Forest is also approaching this one with a businesslike edge. The program has not treated NC State as anything beyond another week to handle, with the goal being simple: win on the road and get to 5-1. Still, there may be a little extra juice after last year’s home loss to the Wolfpack.
Jake Dickert said this is the first time in his Wake Forest tenure that the team will face an opponent for a second time, which makes the adjustments worth watching.
The Deacons would like to flip the script from a year ago and leave with a major road win. With the crowd in play, they will need their best to come away with a Big Four victory.
In Other News...
NC State Faces A Pressure Test After Its Early Season Collapse
NC States trip into October comes with a little extra pressure after an early-season stumble, and the matchup with Wake Forest now looks like the kind of game that can either steady the Wolfpack or keep the questions coming. Around the college football world, this weeks slate is packed with intrigue, but for NC State the focus is much narrower: a conference game against a familiar foe, a chance to regain rhythm, and a test of whether the offense can clean up its recent mistakes.
There is some optimism baked into the matchup, especially with CJ Baileys playmaking ability giving the Wolfpack a higher ceiling when the ball is moving well. The bigger issue is whether NC State can pair that with enough control and balance to avoid another messy night, and the quarterback situation adds another layer of interest as the staff looks for the right mix to complement Bailey. Wake Forest may be the opponent on the schedule, but the more revealing battle is whether NC State can answer its own early-season collapse before it starts to linger. [Read more 🡒]
NC States Early Formula Is Suddenly Looking A Lot More Real
NC States 31-28 win over Louisville did more than get the Wolfpack to 3-2 and off the ACC schneid in 2026. It also gave a sharper look at the early formula that has started to take shape around this team, with the updated conference rankings showing where a few of the Packs key pieces are stacking up through the first stretch of league play. CJ Bailey, Duke Scott, Keenan Jackson, Will Wilson, Preston Douglas and kicker Kanoah Vinesett all have a place in that early ACC picture, which is part of what makes the win feel a little more meaningful than a one-off upset.
The bigger question now is how sustainable that formula will be as the schedule keeps moving, especially with the next test already looming. Vinesetts reliability has become a real part of the conversation after his perfect day against Louisville, and the offense has enough different contributors to suggest this group can keep hanging around if the pieces stay in place. The only catch is that the Wolfpack are heading into a week where availability and depth matter just as much as the rankings, which leaves the next step in this reset feeling a lot more important than the standings might otherwise suggest. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Faces A Defining ACC Test With Momentum On The Line
NC State heads into a pivotal ACC matchup with Wake Forest carrying real momentum and a home-field edge it has protected all season. Both teams have been playing well, which is what gives this one extra weight beyond the usual conference date. The Wolfpack have had to manage injuries along the way, but they have still handled business in Raleigh and now face a test that should say plenty about where they stand in the league picture.
Wake Forest brings enough recent success to make this more than just a spot-the-better-team kind of game, and the setup suggests a tight one from the start. For NC State, the stakes are simple: keep the home run going, stay steady through the injury issues and keep its place in a crowded ACC race from slipping. A win would say plenty about the Wolfpacks staying power, while a stumble would make the path ahead much less forgiving. [Read more 🡒]