NC State’s 31-28 win over Louisville changed the conversation around the Wolfpack, and now the next stretch of the schedule will show whether that result was a spark or just a one-night flip of the script. At 1-1, State sits in a workable spot inside the conference, with three ACC matchups ahead that all come with their own twist.
Wake Forest made the loudest statement of the bunch in Week 5. The Deacs demolished Stanford 57-3, and quarterback Gio Lopez was all over it, piling up five total touchdowns with three of them coming on the ground.
That followed Wake’s road win over then-No. 16 Louisville, so this wasn’t a one-game burst - it looked like a team that’s still rolling.
The 57-point margin also stood as Wake Forest’s biggest ACC win. NC State beat the Deacs 34-24 in Winston-Salem last season, and the Wolfpack are 2-1 over the last three meetings, though they dropped the most recent one in Raleigh.
Wake comes to Raleigh on Oct. 10.
Stanford’s day against Wake Forest was a rough one from start to finish. Davis Warren finished with just 136 passing yards and one interception in the 57-3 loss, a sharp downturn after he threw for a career-high 396 yards in Stanford’s 34-27 comeback win over Georgia Tech the previous week.
The defeat also extended Stanford’s school-record road losing streak to 13 games. NC State has faced Stanford only once since the Cardinal joined the ACC in the 2024 season, and the Wolfpack handled that matchup 59-28 on Nov.
- The rematch is set for Oct. 23 in Stanford.
California’s result came with a different kind of trouble. The Golden Bears fell 39-31 to UNLV, and injuries played a major role.
Several starters exited, including quarterback Jaron-Keawe Segapolutele, who left in the first half and did not return. Cal did battle back late after UNLV jumped out early, but the defense couldn’t hold off the Rebels in the end.
NC State has played Cal only once as ACC opponents, edging the Golden Bears 24-23 on Oct. 19, 2024.
The next meeting is in Raleigh on Oct. 31.
For NC State, the Louisville win has given the season a different feel. Wake Forest looks like the biggest threat still waiting on the schedule, and that game should bring the kind of edge that comes with an in-state rivalry. If the Wolfpack can get through that one, the path ahead in the ACC gets a lot cleaner.
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NC States Wake Forest Rivalry Test Just Got A Tougher Feel
The latest chapter in one of the ACCs longest-running in-state rivalries now has a firm stage, with the league announcing Wake Forest and NC State will kick off at noon on Oct. 3 at Carter-Finley Stadium. The game will air on The CW, and it arrives as the 119th meeting between the schools, with the Wolfpack holding the edge in the all-time series.
For NC State, the timing adds a little more bite to a matchup that already carries plenty of familiarity. The Wolfpack are 3-2 and trying to steady themselves, while Wake Forest is coming off a convincing win over Stanford, so both sides should arrive with something to prove when the noon slot opens up in Raleigh. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Finally Has Offensive Momentum Fans Have Been Waiting For
NC State finally found the kind of offensive rhythm fans have been waiting to see, and it came at a good time. The Wolfpack earned its first back-to-back win of the season by beating Louisville, with quarterback CJ Bailey turning in the best passing day of his young career, throwing for 373 yards and two touchdowns.
Davion Gause also gave the offense a useful spark, finishing with 69 rushing yards and 45 more through the air while lining up with Bailey in a familiar rhythm from their high school days. Dave Doeren had reason to be encouraged by both players, and Bailey said he believes there is more still ahead for this group, which is the kind of confidence NC State has been trying to build all season. [Read more 🡒]