College Football

NC State at Vanderbilt: Time, TV, Latest Lines & Game Info (2026)

Wolfpack looks to earn a win over an SEC foe with a road trip to Nashville

Published

17 hours ago

Game Center for the 2026 NC State at Vanderbilt football game, including kickoff time, TV and radio information, stat comparisons, what to watch and more.

NC State and Vanderbilt don’t cross paths often, but Saturday’s meeting in Nashville arrives at an important moment for both programs.

The Wolfpack (1-1) followed a dismal 34-8 season-opening loss at Virginia with a record-setting 73-0 rout of Richmond. Now comes a more revealing test: a road trip against an SEC opponent that could help NC State restore confidence and show that its preseason expectations weren’t misplaced.

Vanderbilt (2-0), meanwhile, is trying to build on last season’s 10-win breakthrough while breaking in a new quarterback. Five-star freshman Jared Curtis, who flipped his commitment from Georgia to his hometown Commodores, will make his first collegiate start after helping Vanderbilt rally past Delaware.

For NC State’s CJ Bailey, the question is different: Can he carry his rebound against Richmond into another significant road test?

🔄 Last Updated: September 18, 2026 11:51 am

🏟️ How to Watch NC State at Vanderbilt Football

Matchup: NC State (1-1) at Vanderbilt (2-0)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026
Time: 12:45 p.m. ET (11:45 a.m. CT)
Location: FirstBank Stadium (Nashville, TN)
TV/Stream: SEC Network
Announcers: Taylor Zarzour (play-by-play), Matt Stinchcomb (analyst), Michella Chester (sideline)
NC State Radio: WRAL 101.5 FM (Flagship), Wolfpack Sports Network affiliates or Varsity Network App
NC State Radio Announcers: Matt Chazanow (play-by-play), Johnny Evans (analyst) and Jeff Gravley (sideline)

📊 Latest Lines

Spread: Vanderbilt -3
Over/Under Total: 50.5 points
Moneyline: NC State +140 | Vanderbilt -166
Lines via DraftKings Sportsbook. Updated Sept. 18, 2026 at 11 a.m.

⏪ Last Time Out

NC State 73, Richmond 0 – The Wolfpack set a Carter-Finley Stadium scoring record en route to its first win of the season on Sept. 11. Duke Scott rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns, while backup quarterback Will Wilson accounted for four scores – three rushing and one passing.

Vanderbilt 35, Delaware 26 – The Commodores rallied from a 17-14 first-half deficit to avert an upset at home Sept. 12. An Austin Howard blocked punt, recovered for a Vandy touchdown, sparked a 21-point third-quarter.

📚 Series History

Vanderbilt leads the all-time series 2-1
Last Meeting: NC State 41, Vanderbilt 17 (Dec. 26, 2016), Independence Bowl, Shreveport, LA
Vanderbilt topped NCSU 38-24 in the 2012 Music City Bowl. The Wolfpack outgained the Commodores but committed four turnovers, including three interceptions thrown by Mike Glennon
Vanderbilt captured the first-ever meeting 7-0 on Nov. 9, 1946.

🔍 What to Know About NC State at Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt has officially named highly touted five-star freshman quarterback Jared Curtis the starter for Saturday’s game. Curtis came off the bench last week against Delaware, completing 14-of-22 passes for 210 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for two scores. Originally committed to Georgia, Curtis flipped to Vanderbilt last December.
Which CJ Bailey will show up? The NC State quarterback struggled in the season-opening loss at Virginia, completing 12 of 23 passes for just 84 yards and an interception. He bounced back against Richmond, going 13-of-17 for 281 yards and accounting for two touchdowns. Vanderbilt presents an opportunity to show that his improvement extends beyond an overmatched FCS opponent.
Both Vanderbilt and NC State have enjoyed elite third-down defenses thus far. Vandy ranks fourth nationally, while the Wolfpack is ninth in FBS (allowing first downs in just 5-of-27 attempts).
NC State is the least penalized team in the ACC and the third-least in all of FBS. The Wolfpack has only been flagged six times – and none on the defense.
NCSU backup quarterback Will Wilson continues to be kryptonite to opposing defenses in short-yardage situations. Per NCSU stats, Wilson has gained a first down or scored a touchdown on 40 of his 59 career rushing attempts.
NC State injury update: Coach Dave Doeren said he expects center Spike Sowells Jr. to be ready to play Saturday. Sowells left the Richmond game early due to an injury and did not return.
Vanderbilt injury updates: Defensive lineman Aaron Bryant has been lost for the season, suffering a torn ACL in the Delaware game, per coach Clark Lea. Tight end Cole Spencer and cornerback Jaylin Lackey have been listed as out for Saturday’s game, while linebacker Jamison Curtis is questionable and edge Brian Allen Jr. is listed as probable.
This will be the only game in what had started out as a home-and-home series. Vanderbilt has canceled the return game in Raleigh set for 2028. “After the SEC decided to move to a nine-game conference schedule, we contacted N.C. State in an effort to move our 2028 game,” the university said in a statement. “We have not been able to find a mutually agreeable date to reschedule and will not play N.C. State in 2028.”
NC State last played a regular season game in the state of Tennessee in the 1940s. The Wolfpack lost to Vanderbilt 7-0 in 1946 and won at Chattanooga by the same score in 1948.