If you’re a high school football prospect in North Carolina trying to stay close to home and still land in a program that knows how to win, the last five seasons point to one answer: NC State.
Since 2021, the Wolfpack have piled up 40 wins, more than any other FBS program in the state. Duke is next at 38, followed by Wake Forest at 36, App State at 35, ECU at 34, UNC at 33 and Charlotte at 17.
That stretch speaks to the kind of steady run NC State has built under Dave Doeren. The Wolfpack still haven’t reached the ACC Championship Game, but they’ve quietly established themselves as North Carolina’s most reliable FBS winner.
What makes that even more interesting is how little it has shown up in the recruiting rankings.
Over the last five recruiting cycles, NC State has not landed the top class among the ACC programs in the state. In 2026, North Carolina and Wake Forest finished ahead of the Wolfpack.
Duke was ahead in 2025. North Carolina finished ahead of NC State in 2024, 2023 and 2022.
That means North Carolina signed a higher-rated class than NC State in four of the last five cycles, even though the Wolfpack won seven more games over that same span.
It’s a reminder that recruiting rankings only tell part of the story. NC State’s staff has made a habit of finding players who may not arrive with the loudest rankings, then developing them into productive pieces and, in some cases, All-ACC performers. The result has been a program that keeps stacking wins even when the recruiting buzz goes elsewhere.
The rankings matter. But eventually, they have to turn into results on the field. And over the past five seasons, no North Carolina FBS program has done that better than NC State.
In Other News...
Former NC State Guard Just Hit A New Level Of NBA Recognition
The buzz around Quadir Copeland has kept building since his strong Summer League debut, and now the former NC State guard is getting another sign that he is starting to register at the NBA level. The Houston Rockets recently shared an Instagram reel of Copeland going through the official face-scan process, a small but meaningful step that helps players show up more accurately in the leagues next video game release.
For a player on a two-way contract, those little markers can matter as much as the box score. Copelands 14-point, 7-rebound showing in Summer League already put him on the radar, and the latest spotlight suggests the Rockets see him as more than just a camp body. What comes next will be about turning that early attention into a steadier role. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Faces Its First Real Test Before Fall Camp Begins
Before fall camp even opens, NC State is already getting a useful early read on where the season could hinge. The Wolfpack heads to the ACC Kickoff in Charlotte with quarterback CJ Bailey, running back Duke Scott, defensive end Isaiah Shirley and head coach Dave Doeren among the faces representing a roster that still has plenty to sort through, especially on offense and in the second year under coordinator DJ Eliot on defense.
Baileys development as a three-year starter is one of the biggest themes to watch, and so is the way the staff sorts out its emerging playmakers around him. The defense also carries intrigue after adding veteran help, but the real value of this week may be less about answers than about identifying which questions matter most once the team gets to work in camp. [Read more 🡒]