A road trip to Virginia to open the year. A bye week before the home opener even happens. And a late-October flight to Stanford that kicks off well past most fans’ bedtimes. The 2026 NC State football schedule takes an unusual shape before settling into a familiar ACC rhythm.
2026 NC State Football Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 29 | at Virginia Cavaliers | Scott Stadium, Charlottesville, VA | 3:30 PM | ESPN |
| Sat, Sep 5 | — | OFF | — | — |
| Fri, Sep 11 | Richmond Spiders | Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC | 7:00 PM | ESPNU |
| Sat, Sep 19 | at Vanderbilt Commodores | FirstBank Stadium, Nashville, TN | 12:45 PM | SECN |
| Sat, Sep 26 | Appalachian State Mountaineers | Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 3 | Louisville Cardinals | Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 10 | Wake Forest Demon Deacons | Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 17 | — | OFF | — | — |
| Fri, Oct 23 | at Stanford Cardinal | Stanford Stadium, Stanford, CA | 10:30 PM | ESPN |
| Sat, Oct 31 | California Golden Bears (Homecoming) | Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 7 | Duke Blue Devils | Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 14 | Syracuse Orange | Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 21 | at Florida State Seminoles | Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 28 | at North Carolina Tar Heels | Kenan Memorial Stadium, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Dec 5 | ACC Championship | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC | 12:00 PM | ABC |
An Early Road Trip, Then an Odd Bye Week
NC State opens the 2026 NC State football schedule on the road against Virginia, then catches a bye week on September 5 before the home opener even arrives. Richmond visits for a Friday night game on September 11, followed by another road trip — this time to Vanderbilt — before Appalachian State and Louisville give Raleigh back-to-back home dates in early October.
Wake Forest, Then a Bye Before a Late-Night Flight
Wake Forest visits Carter-Finley on October 10, setting up a second bye week on October 17 that lines up perfectly with what comes next: a Friday night trip to Stanford on October 23, kicking off at 10:30 p.m. ET. It’s the most demanding travel stretch on the entire NC State ACC schedule 2026.
Homecoming, Then Duke and Syracuse
California visits for Homecoming on October 31, giving the Wolfpack a home date to recover from the West Coast trip. Duke and Syracuse follow in consecutive weeks, both at Carter-Finley, before the schedule turns back toward the road for its final stretch.
Florida State, Then the Rivalry Finale
A road trip to Florida State opens the closing run, and NC State vs North Carolina 2026 wraps the regular season on November 28 at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill — a rivalry that never needs extra stakes attached. If NC State is still playing December 5, it’s in Charlotte for the ACC Championship.
The Bottom Line
Between the Stanford trip and the North Carolina finale, this schedule leans heavily on travel in its back half. The NC State football home games in 2026 offer real cover through October, but the two bye weeks positioned around the Stanford flight suggest the schedule-makers built in recovery time on purpose.
FAQ
Q: When does NC State football play its first game in 2026?
A: NC State opens the 2026 NC State football schedule on the road against Virginia on Saturday, August 29, at Scott Stadium.
Q: When is NC State vs North Carolina 2026?
A: NC State vs North Carolina 2026 closes the regular season on Saturday, November 28, on the road at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill.
Q: How many home games does NC State play in 2026?
A: NC State has seven NC State football home games in 2026 at Carter-Finley Stadium: Richmond, Appalachian State, Louisville, Wake Forest, California, Duke, and Syracuse.
Q: What is NC State’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
A: The late-October flight to Stanford, sandwiched between two bye weeks, is the most unusual and demanding travel stretch on the NC State ACC schedule 2026, with the closing road trip to Florida State and North Carolina adding to the difficulty in November.
