On Jan. 31, the ACC unveiled its conference football schedule, finalizing the Wolfpack’s 2022 campaign. NC State also announced its 2022 spring game, set for April 9 on the ACC Network.
Nonconference schedule
NC State opens its season on the road at East Carolina on Sept. 3. NC State won its last two games against the Pirates, but hasn’t played them since 2019. East Carolina, now helmed by Mike Houston, will aim to spoil the Wolfpack’s season before it even begins. Fans may remember Houston’s 2018 James Madison squad, which caused the Wolfpack headaches in a 24-13 NC State victory to open that year, which shows his skill as a head man. That game could be more dangerous than it should.
The team’s home opener comes Sept. 10 against Charleston Southern, a tune-up game before its marquee nonconference matchup.
On Sept. 17, Texas Tech comes to Raleigh. The two teams last played in 2003, but that was a 49-21 victory for NC State. The Red Raiders went just 7-6 last year but took a top-10 Baylor team to the brink in its last regular season game, then dominated Mississippi State 34-7 in their bowl.
Texas Tech had a balanced offense in 2021, but gave up over 30 points per game. If redshirt junior quarterback Devin Leary gets going, the Red Raiders likely won’t be able to keep up in a shootout. The Wolfpack should win that game.
A matchup with UConn on Sept. 24 ends the nonconference season, the final cupcake on NC State’s schedule.
Conference schedule
NC State opens conference play with a bang: at Clemson on Oct. 1. This is the best time to catch Clemson, which is just about ready to be put out of its misery. The Tigers no longer have a generational quarterback, though their backfield is talented, they’ve lost their coordinators and have mostly refused to explore the transfer portal. If NC State wins that game, that has huge implications for the changing of the guard in the ACC Atlantic.
On Oct. 8, NC State has its first conference home game against Florida State. This will likely be a dangerous matchup; Mike Norvell has the Seminoles trending in the right direction, winning two more games in 2021-22 than the year prior. While NC State cruised by it in 2021, starting quarterback Jordan Travis didn’t play, and that was a game-changer.
On Oct. 15, NC State travels to Syracuse, which shouldn’t provide the Wolfpack too much trouble. NC State has won three straight against the Orange.
NC State’s bye comes somewhat late in the season, and it’ll be a welcome one for a worn-down roster the week of Oct. 22.
It returns to play at home against a rebuilding Virginia Tech team which should not provide the Wolfpack much difficulty. The Thursday, Oct. 27 night game begins a stretch of three straight home matchups for NC State.
In what could end up the most important game on the schedule for NC State, the Demon Deacons come to town on Nov. 5, bringing with it Sam Hartman and Dave Clawson’s Wake Forest squad. Wake Forest won’t be the best team NC State plays, but it’s the closest thing to a must-win on the schedule for reasons similar to why I said the same of the UNC matchup of 2021. The Wolfpack is 1-4 in its last five games against Wake Forest, a trend that cannot continue.
Boston College provides NC State’s final home game of the year on Nov. 12, and this time starting quarterback Phil Jurkovec may see the field. Jeff Hafley’s another ACC coach to keep an eye on, winning six games in each of his first two seasons, and the Golden Eagles may take the next step forward this year.
Nov. 19, NC State travels to down-trending Louisville squad in its penultimate regular season game before facing UNC on Nov. 25 to end the year. With Sam Howell gone, the Tar Heels will put fear into no team on their schedule.
