From long-standing rivalries against North Carolina and Wake Forest to games against blue blood programs, including Notre Dame and Florida State, NC State football has one of its more intriguing schedules in years.
Can head coach Dave Doeren finally break through for 10 wins in Doeren’s thirteenth season in Raleigh? Will the Pack trend down for a second straight year, potentially missing a bowl? Both are possibilities, but for now, I believe it will be more of the same for the Wolfpack in 2025 — a rollercoaster of a season on the way to six to eight wins.
ECU
After a 26-21 loss to the Pirates in last season’s Military Bowl, the Wolfpack will get a chance for redemption to open the 2025 campaign. Under head coach Dave Doeren, the Wolfpack is just 3-3 against ECU and is certainly looking to perform better against the rival Pirates.
ECU loses star running back Rahjai Harris, who torched NC State for 220 yards on the ground in the bowl game. However, quarterback Katin Houser is back and will be dynamic through the air and on the ground. Expect NC State to escape with a narrow win against a dangerous Pirate squad.
Virginia
After three straight losing seasons under head coach Tony Elliott, Virginia appears ready to finally break through.
Former North Texas star quarterback Chandler Morris transferred into the program this offseason and gives the Cavaliers an electric signal-caller. Paired with running backs Xavier Brown and J’Mari Taylor, Virginia’s offense should make a jump after ranking 16th in the ACC in scoring.
Despite the collection of budding offensive talent, Virginia still has holes on its roster. Star receiver Malachi Fields transferred to Notre Dame and the defensive line remains a weakness. NC State should expect to move the football with ease against the Cavaliers and secure a comfortable victory.
Wake Forest
Much like ECU, Wake Forest has been a thorn in Doeren’s side.
The Pack and the Demon Deacons have split the last 12 meetings, while Wake Forest holds a 4-2 lead in Winston-Salem against Doeren. However, this year’s Wake Forest squad is expected to be towards the bottom of the ACC.
Led by one of the best running backs in the country, Demond Claiborne, the Wake Forest offense will lean into the run game. However, with no clear starter at quarterback and an offensive line that struggled badly last year, the Demon Deacons will likely be one-dimensional on offense.
NC State should win this one and start 3-0.
Duke
The Blue Devils made a splash this offseason, signing Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah out of the transfer portal. One of the top prospects in the portal this year, Mensah brings an electric presence to Duke’s quarterback room and will make it difficult for any team to beat the Blue Devils.
Defensively, Duke is expected to be very good, especially in the secondary. Cornerback Chandler Rivers and safety Terry Moore both made the All-ACC preseason team. NC State will likely have trouble getting its aerial attack going in Durham and faces a probable loss.
Virginia Tech
Since Virginia Tech joined the ACC, the Wolfpack has just one home win over the Hokies — a thrilling one-point victory in 2022. A true toss-up, the Wolfpack will look to build off its recent success against the Hokies.
Virginia Tech returns quarterback Kyron Drones. After a breakout campaign in 2023, Drones regressed last season with his touchdowns falling and interceptions rising. Nevertheless, the dual-threat quarterback is a dangerous opponent.
The Hokies are replacing several stars with five players off to the NFL and Xavier Chaplin, the nation’s No. 2 offensive tackle in the portal, transferring to Auburn. Given these losses and home-field advantage, NC State has a slight edge, but it will be a close battle.
Campbell
The Wolfpack should have no issue disposing of Campbell. The Camels finished 3-9 last season and shouldn’t give NC State much trouble, giving NC State an opportunity to give its reserves valuable in-game experience.
Notre Dame
Fresh off a national championship appearance, Notre Dame is rolling under head coach Marcus Freeman, posting a 33-10 record during his tenure.
While the Fighting Irish are breaking in new quarterback CJ Carr, the supporting cast around Carr is good enough to make this team a playoff contender again.
Running back Jeremiyah Love averaged 6.9 yards per carry and punched in 17 touchdowns last year — and is back for more. Love may be the best player NC State faces all season and is a potential Heisman contender. Paired with an explosive receiving duo in Malachi Fields and Jaden Greathouse, the Irish offense will be nearly impossible to stop.
The Irish lost much of their spectacular defense last season, but return key pieces. Linebackers Jaylen Sneed and Drayk Bowen form an impressive duo and will be the core of Notre Dame’s defense. Expect NC State to struggle in South Bend in the Pack’s toughest game of the year.
Pitt
Much like Virginia Tech, Pitt is another coin flip game for the Wolfpack.
After a 7-0 start last season, the Panthers collapsed to finish the season on a six-game losing streak. Offensively, the Panthers struggled with turnovers, throwing 16 interceptions as a team — second most in the ACC.
Despite the team’s offensive woes, Pitt returns an exciting offensive duo in quarterback Eli Holstein and running back Desmond Reid. A former Alabama quarterback, Holstein has NFL upside with his strong arm and rushing ability.
Reid is a star himself, making his presence felt both as a runner and a receiver — showcased by his 966 yards on the ground and 579 through the air.
Defensively, Pitt is very good, led by Preseason All-ACC linebacker Kyle Louis. With 100 tackles and seven sacks last year, Louis will be a problem for every team he faces this season. In Pittsburgh, the Panthers have a narrow advantage over the Pack.
Georgia Tech
One of the biggest sleepers in the nation, Georgia Tech has the potential to play in the ACC championship this season.
Quarterback Haynes King returns for his sixth year of college football after an impressive 2024 campaign, throwing 14 touchdowns to just two interceptions. Additionally, King is a dangerous runner with over 1400 career rushing yards.
Superstar running back Jamal Haynes is also back. Rushing for over 900 yards each of the past two seasons, Haynes is back and will be a workhorse for the Yellow Jackets. Notably, NC State held Haynes to one of his worst performances last season, limiting him to just 36 yards on 14 carries.
For the Pack to win, it will have to replicate this performance against the run. However, if Haynes gets going, it will be a long game for NC State against the Yellow Jackets.
Miami
Miami will be one of the Pack’s most formidable opponents this year, fueled by an impressive collection of talent on both lines of scrimmage.
The offensive line is led by projected first-round pick Francis Mauigoa, but features multiple potential NFL prospects down the line. With new quarterback Carson Beck joining the Hurricanes, Miami has assembled an offense ready-made for a quarterback to succeed.
If NC State is going to beat the Canes this season, it will have to take advantage of Miami’s questionable defense. Last season, Miami’s defense was very inconsistent, allowing six teams to score 30 or more points on them.
For NC State to have a puncher’s chance, it will have to win a shootout with the Canes — a possible, but unlikely result.
Florida State
How does Florida State move forward after a disastrous 2-10 campaign?
For starters, they rebuilt the 2025 roster eerily similar to the 2024 roster by depending on the transfer portal. While the Seminoles will likely be improved, there’s a real chance that FSU falls flat, making the same mistakes as last year.
Florida State addressed its need for a quarterback by signing Boston College Transfer Thomas Castellanos.
The Noles also changed coordinators, bringing in former UCF head coach Gus Malzahn and Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White. Both coordinators should elevate Florida State’s floor to prevent another disastrous season — but will they be enough to restore FSU as a powerhouse in the ACC this season? If not, this game should be a one-score battle, with NC State holding a slight advantage given its stability compared to Florida State.
North Carolina
NC State has won four straight over the Tar Heels, with Doeren consistently delivering his best games against the Heels. However, it is almost an entirely different program in Chapel Hill, with the arrival of new head coach Bill Belichick and 37 new transfers.
Carolina’s roster is one of the more unpredictable in the ACC this season, with several players transferring into new places with new roles. Quarterback Gio Lopez will be pivotal for Carolina’s success. The South Alabama transfer shone in the Sun Belt both as a passer and runner with 25 total touchdowns.
The biggest question in Chapel Hill: can Belichick adjust to the college game? His resume, featuring six Super Bowls as head coach of the New England Patriots, speaks for itself.
However, college football is an entirely different challenge. Balancing high school recruiting, the transfer portal and entirely different schemes compared to the NFL will all be new challenges for Belichick.
Given the amount of change that Belichick and UNC will be adjusting to, NC State should expect to win this one.
Final Projection
The range of outcomes for NC State is vast, ranging anywhere from 4-8 to 9-3, with so many toss-up games. ECU, Virginia, Wake Forest and Campbell are expected to be wins. Meanwhile, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech and Miami appear to be likely losses if those teams play up to their potential.
That leaves five tossups for the Pack. Giving the advantage to the home team in these coin flips would put NC State at 7-5 with wins over Virginia Tech, Florida State and North Carolina, while dropping games at Duke and Pitt.
A 7-5 campaign would be a step up from last year’s losing season, but it would leave fans hungry for more success.
