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NC State will face its biggest challenge of the season when Louisville visits Raleigh this weekend.
Sep 26, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; App State Mountaineers quarterback Malachi Singleton (3) is tackled by multiple NC State Wolfpack players during the first half of the game at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Wolfpack survived a tough test from App State last weekend. And they’re using the lessons learned from that victory to help game plan for Louisville.
It took a fourth-quarter stand for the Wolfpack to secure the 41-31 win over the Mountaineers in Week 4. NC State maintained a 28 to 10 lead over the Mountaineers in the first half but was outscored 21 to 13 in the second half.
“They’re a good football team. I knew they’d fight. I knew they would not give up,” NC State Head Coach Dave Doeren said on Monday. “I knew that they would be a team that we’d have to play four quarters to beat.”
Against The Ropes
NC State is coming off back-to-back weeks in which it has seen its multiple-score lead diminished coming out of halftime.
“That's an area as a program we've got to improve,” Doeren said. “You build a lead in a football game, you get a fighter on the ropes, you want to keep him on the ropes and finish somebody off.”
Doeren’s defense will be the biggest area of opportunity this season. It gets a big test when Louisville comes to town.
“They have the most explosive plays offensively in the country,” Doeren said. “It’s probably the most talented roster we’ll see this year in Louisville.”
Louisville Cardinals tight end Jaleel Skinner (88) points to the crowd after he gets the Cards near the end zone in the first quarter against SMU Saturday. Sept.19, 2026 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Offensive Juggernaut
The Cardinals' offense is a serious scoring threat, averaging 41 points and 486.3 yards per game. Cardinals quarterback Lincoln Kienholz has been an impact player for their offense.
The former Ohio State transfer has completed 68.8% of his passes for 1,140 yards, 7 touchdowns, and only 1 interception. Kienholz leads the ACC with 6 rushing touchdowns at his position.
However, he will be a game-time decision on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Louisville’s running back Keyjuan Brown leads the ACC with 9.3 yards per attempt.
The Cardinals will be the best offense the Wolfpack face this season. Will Doeren’s defense be up for the challenge of stopping such a potent threat?
State nearly crumbled in the second half last weekend, but the offense bailed the Wolfpack out in the end.
“That’s got to get fixed, and our guys understand that,” Doeren said. “It’s really an eye discipline thing at times. Anytime you give up an explosive pass or run, in most cases, there’s a communication issue that takes place or a technique breakdown.”
“There’s a lot to improve, but it’s a lot nicer to have those issues coming off a win than a loss,” Doeren said. “So look forward to this week of practice, getting ready for the most explosive offense in college football.”
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Published 12 minutes ago
Andre Cherry began covering college football in 2010 through his CherryPickin podcast network. Andre originally hails from Chicagoland and is a proud Illinois State alum. He has lived in Philadelphia since 2014 and has previously covered Temple Football. Andre has a broadcast journalism background and got his start in media at WSCR the Score. He’s written for Fox Sports, Bridgehead Media, cinéSPEAK Journal, and IPMF.
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