The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1532241
MARCH/APRIL 2025 ■ 11 TRACKING THE PACK The Pack holds a 69-43-6 advan- tage against the Demon Deacons in the all-time series, including a 26-6 win in its most recent trip to Winston-Salem during the 2023 season. Toughest Stretch The final six games of NC State's schedule are a gauntlet — road trips to Notre Dame, Pitt and Miami, and home dates against Georgia Tech, Florida State and North Carolina. The com- bined 2024 record of the Pack's first six opponents was 35-40, but the next six went 46-34. Five of those last half- dozen teams were bowl-eligible, and Notre Dame reached the College Foot- ball Playoff title game. NC State's trek to South Bend will be the team's seventh game in as many weeks. The Fighting Irish play a physical brand of football, and having a banged- up roster isn't the best-case scenario going into what is certain to be a hostile environment at Notre Dame Stadium. The Pack will stay on the road to play at Pitt after its first bye week, then will welcome Georgia Tech to Carter-Finley Stadium. NC State holds a two-game winning streak when playing at Pitt, with victories over the Panthers in 2017 and '20. But the Pack has lost four of its past five against the Yellow Jackets, including a 30-29 defeat in Atlanta last season. Following its second bye week, NC State will close the season with a visit to Miami and home games against Florida State (on a Friday) and North Carolina. The Hurricanes are expected to take a step forward with Georgia transfer quarterback Carson Beck under cen- ter, while the Seminoles and Tar Heels will most likely give the Wolfpack tough games on the field. This six-game stretch could make or break the Pack's season. If NC State wants to be in contention for the ACC championship, it will have to go through a tough slate to get there. If it starts dropping games, bowl eligibil- ity could be difficult to achieve against the higher-level competition down the stretch. Biggest Challenge Perhaps the biggest difficulty posed by the schedule in 2025 is that NC State will play seven games before its first open date. That's nearly as long as last year's wait. In 2024, the Pack had to play eight games — four of which it lost — before it could take a breather and rest some of its injured players. This year's open date comes on Oct. 18, in between the Notre Dame and Pitt games. NC State will then play only two games before its second open date ar- rives on Nov. 8, just ahead of its trip to Coral Gables to face Miami. The Pack went 2-2 after last year's final open date, but when it had a Week 8 bye in 2023, it finished the regular sea- son with a five-game winning streak. Final Takeaway If the Wolfpack can navigate the first half of the schedule with a 5-1 or 4-2 record, it would set the team up for an opportunity to make strides down the stretch with a pair of open dates sur- rounded by its toughest opponents. There appears to be a path to the Col- lege Football Playoff, but only if NC State can emerge from its conference schedule with no more than one loss. A win at Notre Dame would provide a big boost. Maneuvering into CFP contention will be a tough task. NC State's hopes will most likely depend on whether its new coordinators — Roper on offense, and D.J. Eliot and Charlton Warren on defense — are able to take their units to the next level. If that happens, the Wolfpack could control its own destiny after the first six games. If not, NC State could be playing to just reach bowl eligibility — like it did in 2024. ■ 2025 Football Schedule Date Opponent Aug. 28 EAST CAROLINA Sept. 6 VIRGINIA Sept. 11 at Wake Forest Sept. 20 at Duke Sept. 27 VIRGINIA TECH Oct. 4 CAMPBELL Oct. 11 at Notre Dame Oct. 25 at Pittsburgh Nov. 1 GEORGIA TECH Nov. 15 at Miami (Fla.) Nov. 21 FLORIDA STATE Nov. 29 NORTH CAROLINA A PERCENTAGE OF EVERY HOME SALE GOES TO SUPPORT ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH AND CARE. McKeeHomesNC.com | 910-672-7296 PROUD TO SUPPORT THE NC STATE WOLFPACK Faye eville | Raleigh | Pinehurst | Wilmington