Duke football has already secured bowl eligibility and has its sights set on something bigger as the Blue Devils prepare to visit longtime Triangle rival NC State on Saturday.
The Blue Devils (6-2) have won three consecutive meetings against the Wolfpack and will be seeking their first four-game winning streak in the series since a dominant 14-0-2 stretch from 1947-62.
Saturday’s trip to Carter-Finley Stadium could be just the beginning of Duke’s toughest stretch of the season. Miami, Clemson and Wake Forest await over the final three weeks.
NC State (4-4), meanwhile, is navigating a coaching transition. The Wolfpack responded to Dave Doeren’s dismissal with a 31-10 victory over California under interim coach Todd Goebbel last Saturday. The program’s search for a permanent replacement continues, with former Wolfpack quarterback Philip Rivers emerging as a leading candidate.
Duke coach Manny Diaz has also been mentioned in connection with coaching openings, including NC State by some in the national media, although he has downplayed the speculation.
On the field, the Blue Devils feature one of the nation’s most productive running backs in Nate Sheppard and a defense ranked among the country’s best in points allowed.
Here’s everything to know about Duke at NC State, including kickoff time, TV coverage, betting odds, injury updates, team statistics and series history.
🔄 Last Updated: November 4, 2026 10:06 pm
🏟️ Game Information: Duke vs. NC State
Matchup: Duke Blue Devils (6-2, 3-2 ACC) at NC State Wolfpack (4-4, 2-3 ACC)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026
Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
Location: Carter-Finley Stadium (Raleigh, NC)
TV/Streaming: The CW
Announcers: Thom Brennamen (play-by-play), Jason Cabinda (analyst), Wes Bryant (sideline)
Game-Day Atmosphere: Military Appreciation Day at NC State
📊 What are the betting odds for Duke at NC State football?
Spread: Duke -4.5
Over/Under Total: 51.5 points
Moneyline: Duke -188 | NC State +158
Lines courtesy FanDuel Sportsbook. Odds will be refreshed periodically during the week. All lines are subject to change.
What to Know about Duke-NC State
1. Nate Sheppard continues to have a remarkable season
Duke running back Nate Sheppard leads the ACC with 972 rushing yards and has scored 18 touchdowns from scrimmage. He helped Duke demolish Boston College 47-2 last Saturday, breaking a school record with five rushing scores.
NC State’s defense allows 131 rushing yards per game and will be challenged Saturday. Sheppard is also a pass-catching threat out of the backfield. He has four receiving touchdowns this season – and threw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter against Virginia a few weeks ago.
2. NC State could welcome back a key running back
Jayden “Duke” Scott has returned to the depth chart after missing three games. The initial injury report released by the ACC officially lists Scott as questionable. Interim coach Todd Goebbel sounded optimistic about his availability, although his return isn’t guaranteed.
Scott remains the Pack’s leading rusher with 358 yards and four rushing touchdowns.
3. Duke’s third-down defense has been exceptional
Beyond ranking ninth nationally in scoring defense at 14.3 points allowed per game, Duke ranks fifth nationally in defensive third-down conversion rate. Opponents are converting just 27.5 percent of their opportunities.
NC State’s offense, meanwhile, has been solid on third downs. The Wolfpack has converted on 52 percent of its attempts (60-of-116). The Wolfpack defense allows just 34 percent conversions on third down when their opponents have the ball.
4. NC State’s defense showed immediate improvement after the coaching changes
The Wolfpack held California to 10 points in its 31-10 victory and recorded seven tackles for loss, its highest total in a game this season. Goebbel credited the more aggressive approach installed by defensive play-caller Coach Charlton Warren.
5. Manny Diaz has NC State connections
Duke head coach Manny Diaz previously worked under Chuck Amato at NC State from 2000-05. He also has a 4-0 coaching record against the Wolfpack, 2-0 while at Duke and 2-0 when he was coaching at Miami.
Diaz’s name has been floated this week as a possible candidate for the Florida State opening. Some national media mentioned Diaz in connection with the NC State vacancy when Doeren was first fired. Diaz dismissed the chatter at his Monday news conference.
“I addressed the team last night, I made it pretty clear – really, really happy here,” Diaz said. “I love being here, love going to work here every day. Anything we focus on other than finding a way to beat NC State is a distraction.”
🩹 Who is on the Duke vs. NC State Injury Report
The ACC released its initial injury and availability report on Wednesday night for the upcoming Duke-NC State football game.
Duke
OUT
- WR #1 Jamien Little
- CB #5 Kimari Robinson
- WR #7 Kavon Simmons
- WR #21 Qeanu Johnson
- LB #31 Elliott Schaper
- K #39 Cosme Salas
- DT #44 David Anderson
- OL #65 Kai Jacobowitz
- OL #74 Reagan McCranie
- OL #79 Roman Fina
QUESTIONABLE
- CB #1 Kyon Loud
- OL #63 Bradley Smith
- TE #85 Jeremiah Hasley
PROBABLE
- CB #23 Kolbe Harmon
- S #35 Andrew Pellicciotta
NC State
OUT
- TE #4 Vander Ploog
- NCK #8 Isaiah Crowell
- ILB #15 AJ Richardson
- OL #50 Daniel Cruz
- OL #71 Yousef Mugharbil
- OL #72 Spike Sowells Jr.
- TE #87 Ian Flynt
- K #91 Nick Konieczynski
QUESTIONABLE
- RB #1 Jayden “Duke” Scott
- S #3 Tristan Teasdell
- TE #19 Preston Douglas
- OL #54 Teague Andersen
PROBABLE
- S #2 Ronnie Royal, III
- OLB #5 Harvey Dyson III
- QB #10 Will Wilson
- DE #13 Joseph Adedire
- DL #99 AJ Prim
⏪ 2026 Season Rewind
Duke Blue Devils (6-2, 3-2 ACC)
Duke 17, Tulane 3
Duke 31, Illinois 27
Duke 35, Stanford 7
Duke 62, William & Mary 7
Georgia Tech 28, Duke 25
UNC 24, Duke 20
Duke 19, Virginia 16
Duke 47, Boston College 2
NC State Results (4-4, 2-3)
Virginia 34, NC State 8
NC State 73, Richmond 0
Vanderbilt 35, NC State 31
NC State 41, Appalachian State 31
NC State 31, Louisville 28
Wake Forest 38, NC State 14
Stanford 31, NC State 28
NC State 31, California 10
What a win would mean for Duke
- The seventh win of the season and the third win in a row
- The fourth win in a row over NC State
- A guarantee of at least a .500 record against ACC opponents for the season
- A chance to build momentum with key games upcoming against Miami, Clemson and Wake Forest
What a win would mean for NC State
- A fifth win on the season, moving one game closer to bowl eligibility
- A 2-0 record since Todd Goebbel was elevated to interim head coach
- Snapping a three-game losing skid to the Blue Devils
- The chance to get back to .500 in conference play and above .500 overall
- The chance to derail Duke’s quest to return to the ACC championship game
📊 Duke vs. NC State Stat Comparison
Duke Team Highlights
- Points For: 32.0 points per game
- Points Against: 14.3 points per game
- Rushing Offense: 184.6 yards per game
- Passing Offense: 236.0 yards per game
- Rushing Defense: 103.5 yards per game
- Passing Defense: 186.8 yards per game
- Total Offense: 420.6 yards per game
- Total Defense: 290.2 yards per game
Duke Individual Leaders
- Passing: Walker Eget – 133-of-215 yards for 1,641 yards, 9 TDs, 3 INTs
- Rushing: Nate Sheppard – 173 carries, 972 yards, 14 TDs
- Receiving: Jonah Burton – 22 catches, 308 yards, 1 TD
- Tackles: Nick Morris Jr. – 45 tackles (20 solo)
- Interceptions: Patrick Smith-Young, Evan Smith – 1 INT each
- Scoring: Nate Sheppard – 108 points (18 TDs)
NC State Team Highlights
- Points For: 32.1 points per game
- Points Against: 25.9 points per game
- Rushing Offense: 158.9 yards per game
- Passing Offense: 249.4 yards per game
- Rushing Defense: 131.0 yards per game
- Passing Defense: 235.1 yards per game
- Total Offense: 408.3 yards per game
- Total Defense: 366.1 yards per game
NC State Individual Leaders
- Passing: CJ Bailey – 156-of-244, 1,955 yards, 13 TDs, 4 INTs
- Rushing: Jayden “Duke” Scott – 62 carries, 358 yards, 4 TDs
- Receiving: Keenan Jackson – 30 catches, 456 yards, 6 TDs
- Tackles: Popo Aguirre – 77 tackles (35 solo)
- Interceptions: Jaren Sensabaugh – 2 INTs
- Scoring: Kanoah Vinesett – 55 points (8-9 FGs, 31-31 PATs)
Notes & Numbers
- Duke allows just 14.25 points per game, the ninth-best scoring defense in FBS
- Nate Sheppard is just 28 yards from breaking the 1,000-yard plateau in rushing. His 972 rushing yards lead the ACC and rank fifth nationally. He is averaging 121.5 yards per contest, also fifth in the nation.
- Sheppard leads the FBS in scoring with 108 points (18 total touchdowns). Only one other player has scored 100 points thus far – Army quarterback Cale Hellums (104 points).
- The Blue Devils have three players with 300+ receiving yards – Jonah Burton (308), Jeremiah Hasley (305) and Sheppard (302). Jared Richardson (226 yards, 2 TDs) and Jalvon Solomon (207 yards, 1 TD) also have been active in the passing game.
- NC State quarterback CJ Bailey is averaging 266.6 yards of total offense per game. He has accounted for 15 total touchdowns.
- NCSU backup quarterback Will Wilson has scored eight rushing touchdowns on 46 carries – tied for fifth most TDs in the ACC.
- The Pack has outscored opponents 73-31 in the first quarter and 72-51 in the second. Opponents have slightly outpaced NC State after halftime, though (63-61 in the third quarter and 62-51 in the fourth)
📚 Series History
- Duke leads the all-time series with NC State 44-37-5
- Last Meeting: Duke 45, NC State 33 (Sept. 20, 2025)
- First Meeting: NC State 14, Duke 0 (Sept. 27, 1924)
- Largest margin of victory: Duke beat NC State 75-0 in 1943.
- Duke has won the last three games (2023-25)
- NC State has enjoyed the longest win streak in the series, taking 11 in a row from 1994-2008. The Blue Devils went 14-0-2 from 1947-62.
🔗 More North Carolina College Football Coverage
- Duke Football Schedule
- NC State Football Schedule
- ACC Standings
- 2026 week-by-week schedule
- North Carolina college football scores
