Last Monday, the ACC announced kickoff times for all Week 6 matchups. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons will face the NC State Wolfpack on Saturday, October 3. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET at Carter-Finley Stadium. The game will be televised on The CW.

This will mark the 119th time these two North Carolina schools will face each other. NC State leads the all-time series 70-43-6, but Wake hopes to chip into the deficit this weekend. The last time the Deacons faced NC State in Raleigh was two years ago, when they beat them 34-30 at the Wolfpack's home stadium. Their victory was sealed by former cornerback Branson Combs, as he got a late interception that helped seal the win for the Deacons.

NC State’s Rocky Start

Overall, the Wolfpack have had a shaky and inconsistent start to their season. NC State have started the season off 3-2. They opened with a blowout loss to conference opponent Virginia, losing 34-8, but have since bounced back in a big way. 

After securing a blowout win against Richmond, they suffered a devastating loss to Vanderbilt, losing off a fumble in the end zone with 0 seconds left on the clock, which left the score at 35-31. Since then, NC State has notched back-to-back wins against both Appalachian State and Louisville at home. They carry some much needed momentum and confidence into their tough matchup against the Demon Deacons.

The Wolfpack currently rank No. 13 in the ACC power rankings assembled by Wake Forest Demon Deacons On SI editorial staff. With Wake ranking No. 2, the difference in rankings will likely not affect how close this game will be.

2026 Schedule: Wake Forest Football

Sept. 3 vs. Akron (W, 38-16)
Sept. 12 at Purdue (W, 38-36, 2OT)
Sept. 18 vs. No. 5 Miami (L, 33-20)
Sept. 26 at No. 16 Louisville (W, 30-27)
Oct. 3 vs. Stanford (W, 57-3)
Oct. 10 at NC State, 12 p.m. ET on The CW
Oct. 17 at Cal, TBA
Oct. 31 vs. Virginia, TBA
Nov. 7 vs. Merrimack, 12 p.m. ET, network TBA
Nov. 14 at No. 22 SMU, TBA
Nov. 21 at Georgia Tech, TBA
Nov. 28 vs. Duke, TBA

What to Expect From the Deacons

Coming off another strong showing against Stanford, the Deacons have plenty of confidence. However, after getting snubbed from the AP Poll for the second straight week with a more than deserving resume, Wake should still be hungry to continue their success in Raleigh this weekend.