NC State was destroyed by Virginia 34-8 in the opener, and lost to Vanderbilt on one of the craziest plays in the history of college football.
Most teams would’ve buckled, and the season would’ve been over. Instead, the Wolfpack got through a 41-31 shootout against App State, and then came the big one – a 31-28 win over Louisville.
Now, with no Miami to deal with, the rest of the schedule is winnable enough to make a massive run, or even go 10-2, but first the Wolfpack have to get by a fantastic Demon Deacon team.
Wake Forest also beat Louisville, and it did it on the road. Last week it rocked Stanford by 54, and at 4-1 – and, like NC State, with the loss to Miami out of the way – it can dream big with a win this week.
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This is part of an unbelievable run of home games for NC State. It’s the third game in a row in Raleigh, there’s a week off before the trip to Stanford, and then the next three games are at home.
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Wake Forest has to travel to Berkeley next week to deal with Cal, but it gets a week off after that to get ready for Virginia.
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NC State beat the Demon Deacons 34-24 last year and have won three of the last four. The two teams first met in 1908 – a 25-0 NC State win.
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Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Game Time: 12:00 PM ET
TV: CW
Location: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC
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How is Wake Forest doing this? It’s not beating itself with turnovers – just three so far – the running game is fine, and quarterback Gio Lopez has gotten hotter as the season has gone on.
On the other side, the pass rush should be a bother, and both lines should be solid enough to control the tempo the way the team wants. The Demon Deacons can’t let NC State quarterback CJ Bailey get comfortable, and he won’t be.
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NC State has hardly been perfect, but it leads the ACC in third down conversion percentage, and that’s why it also leads in the time of possession battle.
Wake Forest likes to move fast and keep teams on their heels, but that’s not a plus in this. The Wolfpack will be happy to slow things down and drag out drives. It also helps that …
One very, very famous fumble against Vanderbilt aside, NC State doesn’t have a big problem with turnovers, and it’s the second stingiest team in the ACC in penalties. On the flip side, Wake Forest is one of the most penalized teams in the nation.
This should be a thriller that comes down to a clutch field goal attempt. Both kickers are great, but it’ll be NC State’s Kanoah Vinesett who gets the chance. He hasn’t missed a kick all year.
NC State 30, Wake Forest 27
Latest Consensus Line: Wake Forest -3.5, o/u: 59.5
ATS Confidence (out of 5): 2.5
Must See Rating (out of 5): 3.5
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Consensus line based on BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
