NC State is joining a growing trend in Division I college football by not having a spring game this year.
Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren announced Tuesday that all 15 of his team’s spring workouts will be held out of the public and media spotlight.
“Our practices this spring, with the two new coordinators, are going to be closed to the public,” Doeren said. “Nothing will be televised … We’re going to play and we’re going to get better this spring. For obvious reasons, you don’t want your stuff out there if it doesn’t have to be.”
NC State joins programs like Florida State, Nebraska, Texas, Southern Cal and Missouri in opting to forgo the traditional spring game.
The ACC changed its policy regarding spring games this year. In the past, the league mandated a televised spring scrimmage for each school. This year, they do not.
More coaches across the college landscape are moving away from spring games. Some cite transfer portal concerns and worries that players will get poached by opposing teams after public spring scrimmages. Others cite wanting to go to a more NFL style of OTAs (organized team activities) or wanting to minimize contact as the fall schedule lengthens due to the expanded playoff.
Doeren seemed to suggest that he wanted his two new coordinators, Kurt Roper (offense) and D.J. Eliot (defense) to be able to install their schemes away from the public eye.
“The root of the cause is the fact that coaches from all over the country are attempting to poach players to improve their program all year long,” Pack Pride’s Cory Smith wrote in a recent story on 247Sports (see embedded tweet below). “And with a spring window that opens from April 16-25 for the 2025 season, the Wolfpack can’t afford to lose any key players that might shine in the spring game at positions of need for other programs.”
As of Feb. 25, NC State is the only FBS school in North Carolina to announce publicly it is not having a spring game.
Appalachian State will hold its “Battle at the Rock” spring game on Saturday, April 12 at 1 p.m. at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Charlotte, Duke and Wake Forest will hold spring games on Saturday, April 19. East Carolina has set its spring game for Saturday, April 26.
North Carolina has announced its spring schedule, with practices beginning Tuesday, March 4. While GM Michael Lombardi posted “Come watch us get ready” along with a graphic of UNC’s spring schedule on X a few days ago, the graphic did not list a spring game. The Heels’ final workout will be April 12.
Explore the complete 2025 North Carolina college spring game schedule here.
NC State adjusts future football schedules, moves Louisiana Tech game to Raleigh
NC State’s 2024 win over Louisiana Tech at home was the second leg of a three-game series between the Wolfpack and Bulldogs. The third contest had been set for 2034 at Louisiana Tech but the date has been moved to Oct. 2, 2027 in Raleigh, according to FBSchedules.com and LA Tech Sports Central.
NC State will play Louisiana Tech a $1 million guarantee to shift the game to Raleigh, per FBSchedules.
The change completes NCSU’s 2027 non-conference slate. The Wolfpack is set to play home games against North Carolina A&T (Sept. 11), Kansas State (Sept. 25) and Louisiana Tech, with a road trip to Texas Tech (Sept. 18).
NCSU still has a home game with Georgia on its 2034 calendar but no other non-conference match-ups have been announced for that year.
Explore NC State’s 2025 football schedule, plus future opponents and 2024 results.
