Is it safe for NC State fans to dream a little?
The Wolfpack did not enter the offseason as an obvious ACC favorite, and most national preseason projections still place them somewhere in the middle of the conference pack.
But as the season approaches, it is becoming easier to see how the pieces might fit together for something special.
C.J. Bailey is back for a third season at quarterback after resisting attempts by other programs to lure him away. Both coordinators return after their units showed encouraging progress late last year. The schedule avoids many of the ACC’s projected heavyweights and includes seven games at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Even the uncertainty surrounding a roster with nearly 50 newcomers creates a sense of possibility. NC State may have lost some familiar names, but Dave Doeren and his staff have assembled a group that appears capable of surrounding Bailey with enough talent to make a run.
NC State has produced plenty of good seasons during Doeren’s tenure. What it has not produced is the breakthrough campaign that sends the Wolfpack to the ACC championship game or finally delivers the program’s second-ever season with double-digit wins.
Could this be the year when the quarterback, coaching continuity, reasonable schedule and rebuilt roster all come together at once?
Wolfpack fans have learned to be careful with that kind of optimism.
But with kickoff approaching, it is becoming increasingly tempting to believe the stars might finally align.
📝 Published: July 27, 2026
🔄 Last Updated: July 26, 2026
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At A Glance
2025 Record: 8-5
2025 ACC Record: 4-4 (T-7th)
2026 Season Opener: NC State at Virginia | Saturday, Aug. 29
Head Coach: Dave Doeren
Record at School: 95-70 (14th year here)
Career Record: 118-74 (16 years)
Offensive Coordinator: Kurt Roper (2nd year here)
Defensive Coordinator: DJ Eliot (2nd year here)
2026 NC Football News Prediction: 9-3
Five Things To Know
1. Opposing teams did their best to pry QB C.J. Bailey away
During the ACC Kickoff in Charlotte, Bailey said multiple teams contacted him after NCSU’s bowl game inviting him to transfer. Bailey’s decision to stay in Raleigh for a third-season instantly elevated the Wolfpack to a team the rest of the ACC has to take seriously this fall. “I knew where I wanted to be. I wanted to be with N.C. State,” Bailey told reporters. “I told Coach (Dave) Doeren and I told Coach (Kurt) Roper, ‘I want to be here. Don’t even worry about it.’”
2. Dave Doeren is the elder statesman among D1 coaches in our state
This will be Doeren’s 14th season with the Wolfpack, where he has won 57.6 percent of his games (95-70) and enjoyed 10 winning seasons. NC State has qualified for 11 bowl games under Doeren yet there is still some consternation because the Pack has yet to make an ACC title game or have the breakthrough season fans crave.
3. NC State’s ACC title drought in football is the longest among North Carolina schools
The Wolfpack’s most recent ACC championship on the gridiron came in 1979 when Bo Rein was the coach. UNC last won the ACC in 1980, Wake Forest in 2006 and Duke last season. Among all current ACC schools that have captured at least one title, NC State’s championship drought is the longest.
4. The schedule has many favorable elements
NC State dodges several of the projected ACC favorites, including Miami, Clemson, SMU, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh. The Pack has seven home games instead of the usual six, including a pair of stretches with three in a row. Can NC State ride “schedule luck” all the way to Charlotte the way Virginia did a season ago?
5. No Brazil trip after all
NC State and Virginia announced last December that its 2026 season’s opening game would be played in Rio de Janeiro in Week 0. But the contest, billed as College Football Brasil, ultimately fell through over logistical issues. It was moved to Charlottesville, where the stakes remain high but the travel will be much easier to manage.
What the Experts Think
NC State National Ranking (out of 138 teams)
Athlon: 46th
Phil Steele: 52nd
Lindy’s: 47th
CBSSports: 44th
Projected ACCe Finish (out of 17 teams)
Athlon: 9th
Phil Steele: T-5th
Lindy’s: 10th
Sporting News: 9th
Quotable
“Bailey looks ready to make the third-year jump under center, and the program’s two second-year coordinators are ready to build off the momentum they enjoyed at the end of 2025. Look for a defense that flies around the field, with a high-tempo offense to compliment it.” –Athlon Sports
“Dave Doeren keeps putting out solid, winning teams, but he and the Wolfpack can’t catch a break – or create the right ones. Seriously? Duke beat Virginia for the ACC title? If that can happen, eventually, when will it finally be NC State’s turn?” – Pete Fiutak, College Football News
“The Wolfpack have too much work to do to make this the year that they finally post a double-digit win total. Unless Bailey emerges as a star, they might struggle to even go .500 in conference play.” – Sporting News
Why NC State Could Surprise
- C.J. Bailey returns as one of the ACC’s top quarterbacks and looks poised for a true breakout season.
- Jayden “Duke” Scott flashed star potential late last year and now gets his chance to carry the running game.
- Kanoah Vinesett gives the Wolfpack one of the league’s most dependable kickers in close games.
- The schedule sets up well, with seven home games and several ACC favorites nowhere to be found.
Why NC State Could Struggle
- Replacing Hollywood Smothers and the top five receivers is no small task.
- Replacing most of the starters on defense won’t be easy either.
- The “let-down game” phenomenon is a tough demon to exorcise
The Number: 68.8
NC State quarterback C.J. Bailey completed 68.8 percent of his throws a year ago, finishing with 3,105 yards, 25 touchdowns and only nine interceptions. If Bailey can continue cutting up defenses with this amount of precision, the Pack could be poised for the breakthrough fans long for.
Who’s Back?
⭐ Returning Starters
Offense: 4
Defense: 2
Special Teams: 1
⭐ Returning Stat Leaders
Passing: C.J. Bailey – 273-of-397 for 3,105 yards and 25 touchdowns with a QBR of 150.9
Rushing: Jayden “Duke” Scott – 106 carries, 581 yards, 4 TDs
Receiving: Keenan Jackson – 28 catches, 281 yards, 2 TDs
Tackles: Asaad Brown – 64
Tackles-for-Loss: Zane Wilson – 2.0
Sacks: n/a
Interceptions: Four players with 1 each
👀 Players To Watch
Offense
QB C.J. Bailey
Standout performance at the recent Manning Passing Academy added to the buzz already swirling around third-year returning starter
WR Keenan Jackson
Former Weddington High standout is one of the few familiar faces returning to the receiving corps, with 26 games and 13 starts at NCSU under his belt
OL Teague Anderson
Utah State transfer started 12 games for the Wolfpack in 2025 and will be expected to help anchor the line again this season
DB Asaad Brown Jr.
Emerged as a starter last fall, recording 64 tackles (third-best on the team) and picking off one pass.
DL Harvey Dyson
Tulane transfer led the American Conference with eight sacks last season (with 11.5 TFLs) and will be needed in the pass rush
RB Jayden “Duke” Scott
Introduced himself in a big way in NCSU’s upset of Georgia Tech last November, rushing for 196 yards and a touchdown – including a 69-yard burst. Also rushed for 108 yards in the bowl win over Memphis.
Recruiting Snapshot
High School Additions: 28
National Class Rank: 48 (247Sports)
Transfer Additions: 20
Transfer Class Rank: 46 (247Sports)
👉 Explore more about NC State Football Recruitiing, including 2027 commitments and how the 2026 roster has been shaped.
🆕 Newcomers to Know
High School Class of 2026
WR Tyreek Copper
Kinston High four-star standout broke multiple state receiving records, finishing his prep career with 4,361 yards on 251 catches, with 59 touchdowns.
DL Damaad Lews
Brother of current Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Damien Lewis starred at Myers Park, pledged to Florida State last December, decommitted and ultimately signed with NCSU in February. Top-25 prospect in North Carolina finished 2025 with 42 tackles, four sacks and seven tackles-for-loss.
LB Ziggy Moore
Two-time first-team all-conference performer amassed 350 tackles, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions playing both ways for Woodland Hills High in Pennsylvania.
Transfers 2026
SAF King Mack
Played at Penn State (2023), Alabama (2024) and again at Penn State (2025), seeing action in 39 games and starting eight. Finished 2025 with 58 tackles.
WR Davion Dozier
Caught 20 passes for 448 yards and five touchdowns last season at Appalachian State.
ILB Popo Aguirre
Tallied 43 tackles in a reserve role for Miami during the Hurricanes’ run to the CFP championship game. Had five tackles in Miami’s game against NC State.
Games That Could Define the Season
NC State at Vanderbilt | Sept. 19
Why it matters: NCSU gets an early season chance to knock off an upstart SEC program on the road. If the Wolfpack is sitting 3-0 after this game, things could be shaping up for a special season in Raleigh.
Louisville at NC State | Oct. 3, 2026
Why it matters: Smack in the middle of the season is a home game against an expected ACC contender. Dave Doeren teams are always good for at least one upset at Carter-Finley, and this looks like a perfect spot to catch the Cardinals.
NC State at North Carolina | Nov. 28, 2026
Why it matters: The State-Carolina game always matters for the Red and White, but this year’s meeting could be a history-maker for the Wolfpack. NC State has won the last five games and has never taken six in a row from its biggest rival. UNC leads the series 68-41-6 overall, but the Pack has captured eight of the last 10 and 14 of the last 19.
Schedule Snapshot
🏠 Home: 7
✈ Away: 5
⭐ Toughest Test: Louisville at NC State, Oct. 3 – The Cardinals have been picked as high as No. 2 in the ACC and are generally regarded as Top 20 caliber nationally.
⚠️ Trap Game: Appalachian State at NC State, Sept. 26 – This game, which comes between Vanderbilt and Louisville, will mean a ton more to the Mountaineers, who have been giant killers against several Power 4 programs and will be on the hunt.
💥 Best Upset Chance: Louisville at NC State, Oct. 3 – According to preseason polls, Louisville is the only Top 25 team on the Wolfpack’s schedule. Doeren-coached teams typically rise to the occasion on these types of weeks, especially with the full energy of Carter-Finley Stadium behind them.
👉 Explore the complete NC State 2026 Football Schedule, including opponents, game dates, kickoff times and results as they happen.
Three Questions Facing NC State
Can the Wolfpack avoid the letdowns?
This has been one of the biggest critiques of the Dave Doeren era, that there is always a game where a favored NC State team gets tripped up or a Wolfpack group with high expectations falters when the bright lights turn on. NC State fans long for a season where a Doeren team breaks through the ceiling and wins 10+ games.
How elite can CJ Bailey be?
NC State has long had exceptional quarterbacks, from Roman Gabriel to Philip Rivers to Russell Wilson. Bailey is an elite talent, and the Wolfpack is paying him handsomely to stay for a third season. Now, can Bailey deliver?
Can this NC State team win 10+ games?
The star quarterback returns. Both coordinators are back. The schedule sets up for success. All that remains is for the Wolfpack to take advantage of favorable conditions and become only the second team in school history to amass double-digit victories. Can they get there?
Best Case/Worst Case
Best: Finally – FINALLY! – the stars align, Bailey’s a star, the inevitable letdown game doesn’t happen, and the Wolfpack becomes the first to invoke the new ACC tiebreaker formulas to qualify for the ACC championship game for the first time ever.
Worst: The Pack falls in the opener at Virginia, loses again a few weeks later at Vanderbilt and slogs its way to a familiar what-could-have-been campaign (though with another win over UNC at the end that makes everything go down a little better).
NC Football News Prediction
Record: 9-3
Conference Finish: 6-2
Bowl: The Wolfpacks accepts a bid to the Gator Bowl, where an SEC foe like South Carolina, Missouri or Tennessee could await.
The Final Word
NC State football has had 33 coaches throughout a history that dates back to the 1890s. None have won more games at the school than Dave Doeren, who passed the great Earle Edwards for first place in 2023.
But the Doeren era, though admirable, still lacks a true signature win or signature milestone like an ACC championship game appearance, a playoff berth or a national ranking inside the top 10.
Something always seems to trip them up along the way.
NC State has nearly 50 new players this season but there is a lot working in the Wolfpack’s favor. They are only one of two ACC teams with a third-year starter at quarterback. They are one of only five that returns both coordinators.
The schedule features just one preseason top-25 team and includes seven home games. The fans who pack Carter-Finley Stadium each fall are certainly ready to do their part.
But the Wolfpack still has to make its own breaks and tread carefully during the letdown spots on the calendar. Everything NC State has wanted is sitting right in front of it. Now the Wolfpack have to go take it.
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