Although Duke directs the global series, which dates back to 1924, the Wolfpack has posted a 15-5 bar since 1990. Included in this period is a sequence of 11 consecutive victories by The Pack (1994-2008). It will just mark the fifth meeting between the Wolfpack and the Blue Devils Dave Doeren12 years as a chief coach, but the fourth since 2020.
This season marks the first time in 26 years that the first two conference games of NC State are on the road. In 1999, the pack opened the League with matches in Florida State and Wake Forest, abandoning the two competitions. The pack also had two games on the road to open the ACC game in 1978, winning in Wake Forest and then falling in Maryland. You have to go back for another decade – to 1968 – to find the previous time, the peloton had opened the league with two games on the road. This year was also the last time that NC State. Won two games from the Road League to open the conference, defeating Wake Forest, 10-6 and UNC, 38-6. The pack won the ACC championship this season.
NC State has been down to half of each of its last two games (10 points against Virginia and Seven against Wake Forest). The pack returned to win these two competitions. This is the first time since 2014 that the Wolfpack has won matches in consecutive weeks after being broken in half (17-3 at Georgia Southern and 21-18 in Old Dominion). In the era of the playoffs, only three ACC teams won consecutive matches after following seven or more points at the break. Miami did it in 2024 against Virginia Tech and Cal and BC did it last year against Michigan State and Western Kentucky.
The ground game led Wolfpack, as Hollywood Smothers Menoute not only the ACC in the ground, but also ranks sixth in the FBS and third of the P4. He posted career summits by rushing into three of his last four games. Smothers between Saturday’s match with 951 yards on the ground in his brief NC state career. If he had to get closer to his average precipitation in the League in the match at
Duke would become the 41st career rusher of 100 yards from Wolfpack. He is currently ranking ninth in the history of NC State in career career per match per match with 67.9.
In terms of touchdown, Bailey is the first pack player to have at least five affected and three touched on the ground through the first three Wolfpack games of a season since Philip Rivers in 2002. He ranks 12th in the ESPN QBR for the season with a point of 85.0.
Bailey is currently ranking 24th at the FBS with a percentage of completion of .708. He boasted of a 90 QBR according to ESPN for the victory against Virginia – the highest in his career and the 10th best of the nation last week (second higher against a P4 defense).
Three games in the season, NC State turned the ball in one time. It was a CJ Bailey Interception at the end of the second quarter of the opening of the season, which means that the peloton experienced 10 consecutive quarters with an error. This brand (one to) leads the ACC and is tied to the national 10th.
On the defensive side of the ball, the victory over Wake Forest marked the 55th time under Dave Doeren that the Wolfpack maintained the opponent less than 100 meters on the ground. It was the second time in three games that the opponent failed to reach 100 yards on the ground in 2025. The 30 ECU floor yards in total when opening the season equally like the 14th higher for an opponent of the Doeren era. It was the lowest total for an opponent since 2023. Wake Forest rushed to only 59 yards.
When 280 lb. defensive tackle Isaiah Shirley Authorized and stumbled at 41 yards in the goal area after choosing a pass in the victory at Wake Forest, he scored the first “ Six thick ‘for the peloton since the 2020 season. Shirley was appointed the defensive line of the ACC week for his performance in victory.
