| NC State Wolfpack football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1892; 133 years ago | ||
| Athletic director | Boo Corrigan | ||
| General manager | Andrew Vaughn | ||
| Head coach | Dave Doeren 13th season, 92–70 (.568) | ||
| Stadium | Carter–Finley Stadium (capacity: 56,919) | ||
| Location | Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FBS | ||
| Conference | ACC | ||
| All-time record | 650–605–55[1] (.517) | ||
| Bowl record | 17–18–1 (.486) | ||
| Conference titles | |||
| SAIAA:1907,1910,1913 SoCon:1927 ACC:1957,1963,1964,1965,1968,1973,1979 | |||
| Consensus All-Americans | 12 | ||
| Rivalries | Clemson (rivalry) East Carolina (rivalry) North Carolina (rivalry) Wake Forest (rivalry) | ||
| Current uniform | |||
 | |||
| Colors | Red and white[2] | ||
| Fight song | NC State Fight Song | ||
| Mascot | Mr. and Ms. Wuf | ||
| Marching band | The Power Sound of the South | ||
| Outfitter | Adidas | ||
| Website | GoPack.com | ||
TheNC State Wolfpack football team representsNorth Carolina State University in the sport ofAmerican football. The Wolfpack competes in theNCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of theNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and theAtlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Prior to joining the ACC in 1953, the Wolfpack were a member of theSouthern Conference. As a founding member of the ACC, the Wolfpack has won seven conference championships and participated in 34 bowl games, of which the team has won 17. NC State is coached byDave Doeren.
Since 1966, the Wolfpack has played its home games atCarter–Finley Stadium, the largest college football stadium in North Carolina. On September 16, 2010, NC State restored the tradition of having a live mascot on the field. A wolf-likeTamaskan Dog named"Tuffy" was on the sidelines for the Cincinnati game that day inRaleigh[3] and Tuffy has not missed a Wolfpack football game in Carter–Finley Stadium since.
NC State (then known as The North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts) played its first football game against a team from theRaleigh Male Academy on March 12, 1892, in what is nowPullen Park.[4][5]
The team's first head coach wasPerrin Busbee, who led the team during that game.[6] The Aggies, whose colors were blue and pink, won 12–6 in front of more than 200 spectators.[4][5] The following year, the school played its first intercollegiate game: a 12–6 victory over theUniversity of Tennessee.[7][8] The program's long-standing rivalry with nearbyUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill began on October 12, 1894, with a 44–0 UNC victory inChapel Hill.[9] Eight days later, the team (then called the Farmers) lost again to UNC, 16–0 in Raleigh.[10] In 1895, under third-year coachBart Gatling, the team finished 2–2–1[11] and wore red and white uniforms for the first time.[7] Over the next five seasons the program continued to try to establish itself, achieving only one winning season during the period. The football team has also only had scholarship football players since 1933, prior to that all Wolfpack athletics consisted entirely of non-scholarship student athletes. In 1906, in a game against Randolph-Macon in Raleigh, the Farmers attempted their firstforward pass, a play that had only recently become legal and at the time was still considered a "trick" play.[7] The following season was the program's most successful yet. Under coachMickey Whitehurst, A&M won the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship with a 6–0–1 record.[12] That season, the program also recorded its first ever victory overVirginia.[13] The Farmers played their home games that season on campus at the New Athletic Park, which would later be known asRiddick Stadium.[14] In addition to Pullen Park, the state fairgrounds had hosted some games prior to the opening of the new stadium.[15]
The team won a second South Atlantic championship in 1910 under coachEdward Green, finishing with a record of 4–0–2.[16] A win overVirginia Tech in Norfolk that season was dubbed the "biggest game ever played in the South".[17] Coach Green led team to a third conference championship in 1913, with a record of 6–1.[18][14] The 1918 season, which was the school's first season with the name North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering,[19] was cut short due to the United States' entrance into World War I and a severe flu outbreak on campus. The team's roster was depleted, its schedule reduced to four games, and practice was suspended for five weeks in October and November. A week after practice resumed, State College, as the school was then called, led by coachTal Stafford, was defeated 128–0 byGeorgia Tech in Atlanta. TackleJohn Ripple was named the program's firstAll-American. The following season, on October 23, the Farmers resumed play with North Carolina after a 14-year hiatus. The Tar Heels won the game 13–12 in Raleigh. It wasn't until 1920 that A&M defeated the rival Tar Heels for the first time.[14] In 1921 State College began wearing red sweaters and were referred to by the local media as the Wolfpack.[20] The program, led by coach
Harry Hartsell at the time, joined theSouthern Conference that year[20] and would win the conference titlesix seasons later under coachGus Tebell, finishing the year with a 9–1 record.[21] Running backJack McDowall was the team's star player that year.[22] The 1930 season saw the installation of field lighting at Riddick Stadium, as the Wolfpack defeatedHigh Point University, 37–0, in the team's first ever night game.[14]Williams Newton took over as State's head coach in 1937, and under his tutelage the team compiled a record of 24–39–6.[23][24] Under Newton, State employed a ground-oriented, hard nose attack that put pressure on the opposing interior linemen.[25] Recruitment became difficult during at least part of his tenure as head coach due to the fact that World War II necessitated that eligible males over 18 be inducted into the U.S. military.[26] Newton left NC State after seven seasons to accept the head football coach position atSouth Carolina.[27]
In 1944, State hired formerAppalachian State head coachBeattie Feathers as the Wolfpack head football coach.[28] Feathers, a former star atTennessee and the firstNFL running back to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, compiled a 37–38–8 record in eight seasons,[29] the program's most successful coaching tenure yet. In Feathers' second season, Wolfpack defensive player Howard "Touchdown" Turner returned an interception 105 yards againstDuke, a record that still stands as the longest play in Wolfpack history.[30][31] The 1946 season began with wins over Duke andClemson, earning the program their first appearance in the UPI poll (19th).[32] The next year, NC State reached their first ever bowl game, the second annualGator Bowl. The team lost toOklahoma, 34–13,[33] and finished the season at 8–3,[32] the highest win total since finishing 9–1 in 1927. 1947 saw the Wolfpack finish 5–3–1.[34] That season was followed by a 3–6–1 campaign in 1948,[35] a 3–7 mark in 1949[36] and a 5–4–1 record in 1950.[37] The Wolfpack's first ever nationally televised game was played in 1950. State defeated eighth-rankedMaryland 16–13 inCollege Park.[14] The game aired on the now-defunctDumont Television Network. After a 3–7 campaign in 1951,[38] Feathers was relieved of his duties as head coach.[28]Horace Hendrickson was promoted from assistant coach to head coach after Feathers' departure.[39] Under Hendrickson's tutelage, the Wolfpack struggled, compiling a record of 4–16.[40] Hendrickson was fired after two seasons due to the team's struggles. NC State joined the newly formedAtlantic Coast Conference in 1953 as a charter member, leaving theSouthern Conference after 29 years of membership.[41][42] The team, which had finished 3–7 in 1952,[43] finished 1–9 that year under head coach Hendrickson.[44][14]
Earle Edwards was hired as the team's head coach before the 1954 season.[45] Edwards had previously been an assistant atMichigan State underBiggie Munn and atPenn State underBob Higgins.[46] Edwards' teams compiled a record of 77–88–8.[47] Edwards is the longest tenured coach in NC State Wolfpack football history and holds the program records for games coached, wins, and losses.[47] His teams won fiveAtlantic Coast Conference titles and made twoLiberty Bowl appearances.[47] Four times he was named theACC Coach of the Year.[47] Edwards produced eight All-Americans:Dick Christy, halfback (1957),[48]Roman Gabriel, quarterback (1960, 1961),[49] Don Montgomery, defensive end (1963),[50]Dennis Byrd, defensive tackle (1966, 1967),[51]Fred Combs, defensive back (1967),[52] Gerald Warren, kicker (1967),[53]Ron Carpenter, defensive tackle (1968),[53] andCary Metts, center, (1968).[54] Though Edwards' tenure wasn't overly successful from a record standpoint, it was the most successful tenure of any head coach to that point and laid the foundation for future successes to occur.[55] Edwards retired after seventeen seasons as the Wolfpack's head football coach.[56] After Edwards' retirement, State promotedAl Michaels from assistant coach to head coach.[57] Things didn't pan out for Michaels, as the Wolfpack compiled a 3–8 record in his only year as head coach.[58] Michaels was fired after just one season.[59]
In 1972, State hiredLou Holtz away fromWilliam & Mary as head coach.[60][61] Holtz had a 33–12–3 record in four seasons at NC State.[62] His Wolfpack teams played in four bowl games, going 2–1–1.[62][63] Holtz's 1972 team finished 8–3–1,[64] won thePeach Bowl overWest Virginia[65] and finished the season ranked No. 17 in the final AP poll.[62] Holtz's 1973 team finished 9–3,[66] won theLiberty Bowl[67] and finished the season ranked No. 16 in the final AP poll.[62] The 1974 team finished 9–2–1,[68] tiedHouston in theBluebonnet Bowl[69] and finished the season ranked No. 9 in the Coaches' poll and No. 11 in the AP poll.[62] Holtz departed the Wolfpack after four seasons to become head coach of theNFL'sNew York Jets.[70]
When Holtz moved on,Bo Rein, the offensive coordinator atArkansas, became the youngest college football head coach upon his hiring by North Carolina State.[71] Guiding the Wolfpack football team, Rein was an advocate of the coaching philosophy ofOhio State'sWoody Hayes for whom Rein played. During Rein's four years at NC State, he led the team to two bowl games, defeatingIowa State in the 1977Peach Bowl and defeating thePittsburgh in the 1978Tangerine Bowl.[72] In Rein's final year at NC State, his team won the Wolfpack's last ACC title to date.[72] Despite winning the conference title, the Wolfpack were not invited to a bowl–as of the end of the 2019 season, the last bowl-eligible conference champion from a power conference to not take part in a bowl game. Among Rein's top players at NC State wereOutland Trophy winnerJim Ritcher, acenter for the Wolfpack who later started atguard on fourSuper Bowl teams with theBuffalo Bills,[73] andlinebackerBill Cowher, who later served as head coach of theNFL'sPittsburgh Steelers for 15 seasons and wonSuper Bowl XL.[74][75] Following the 1979 season, Rein resigned as head football coach at State to accept the same position atLSU,[76] but Rein died in a plane crash before ever coaching a game for the Tigers.[77][78] Following every season, the NC State football team awards the "Bo Rein Award" to a player that makes a vital contribution in an unsung role.[79]
After Rein's departure, NC State hiredArkansas defensive coordinatorMonte Kiffin, father ofOle Miss and formerFlorida Atlantic,Oakland Raiders,Tennessee andUSC head coachLane Kiffin,[80] as head coach.[81] Kiffin served three seasons at State and his teams compiled a 16–17 record.[82] Kiffin's defensive coordinator during his three seasons at NCSU wasPete Carroll.[81][83] Kiffin decided to leave NCSU after three seasons to pursue coaching opportunities in the NFL.
Tom Reed was hired away fromMiami (OH) to take over as head coach of the Wolfpack after Kiffin's departure.[84] State struggled under Reed's leadership, posting three consecutive 3–8 yearly records en route to a 9–24 overall mark.[85] Under mounting pressure from fans, alumni and the school administration, Reed resigned after the 1985 season.[86]
State choseDick Sheridan, head coach atFurman, to take over as head coach of the Wolfpack football program in late 1986.[87] Under the tutelage of coach Sheridan, the Wolfpack compiled a record of 52–29–3.[88] State made six bowl appearances (two wins) and finished ranked in either the AP or Coaches poll three times.[88] Sheridan retired unexpectedly after seven seasons, citing health concerns and emotional issues.[89]
Mike O'Cain was promoted from quarterbacks coach to head coach after Sheridan's retirement.[90] Under O'Cain, the Wolfpack compiled a record of 41–40.[91] O'Cain's seven-year tenure saw three bowl appearances, including a win in the 1994Peach Bowl.[91] The latter part of O'Cain's tenure saw mostly mediocre teams. His 1995 and 1996 teams finished with 3–8 records,[92][93] and although the Wolfpack improved to finish 6–5,[94] 7–5[95] and 6–6[96] the next three years, he went 0–7 against archrivalNorth Carolina.[97] NCSU fired O'Cain after the 1999 season.[97]
In 2000, longtime college football assistant and NCSU alumChuck Amato was hired as State's head football coach.[98] Although Amato had no head coaching or coordinating experience, NCSU felt that Amato's 18-year tenure as defensive line coach underBobby Bowden atFlorida State, winning two national championships, would help boost recruiting, ticket sales, and program prestige.[99]
Amato accumulated an overall record of 49–37, including a record of 34–17 during the four-year period from 2000 through 2003 whilePhilip Rivers was the Wolfpack's starting quarterback.[100] Amato's most successful season was in 2002 when the Wolfpack won a school-record 11 games and defeatedNotre Dame in theGator Bowl. That team finished ranked No. 12 in the AP poll, their highest final ranking in 29 years.[101][100] Amato's tenure in Raleigh crested after Rivers graduated and left for the NFL. The Wolfpack finished 5–6 in 2004,[102] 7–5 in 2005,[103] and 3–9 in 2006.[104][100] On November 26, 2006, Amato was fired by NC State athletics directorLee Fowler after a seven–game losing streak capped off the 2006 season.[105] Noted losses include an upset byAkron,[106] a third straight loss to archrivalNorth Carolina,[107] and a loss at home toEast Carolina.[108][105] Highlights of the 2006 season include wins againstBoston College[109] andFlorida State.[110] In a statement, Fowler acknowledged Amato's "excitement and enthusiasm." He continued, "This enthusiasm fueled an $87 million renovation toCarter–Finley Stadium." Nonetheless, mediocre 2005 and 2006 seasons led to the decision "to take the program in a new direction."[111] Even with Rivers as quarterback, Amato's teams never won more than five games in conference play, and actually finished six games under .500 in ACC play.
Tom O'Brien was hired away fromBoston College and named NCSU head football coach in December 2006.[112] He inherited a team that had gone 3–9 and lost its last seven games. In his first year, after opening the season 1–5,[113] his team pulled together and won four straight games, including a win over 18th-rankedVirginia[114] and tough road wins atEast Carolina[115] andMiami.[116] Despite the slow start, his first Wolfpack squad went into the season finale with a bowl bid on the line.[117][118]
The 2008 season will go down as one of the best of O'Brien's tenure, as the Wolfpack became the first inAtlantic Coast Conference history to start the season 0–4 in league play and finish 4–0, with an overall record of 6–7.[119] The bid to thePapajohns.com Bowl marked the ninth bowl invitation in the past 10 years for O'Brien.[120] His freshman quarterback,Russell Wilson, who would go on to become aSuper Bowl winning quarterback for theNFL'sSeattle Seahawks,[121] became the first rookie in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference to be named first-team all-conference at his position and it marked the sixth time in his 19 years in the league that a quarterback under O'Brien's tutelage was named the All-ACC signal caller.[117][118] In 2009, the Wolfpack posted wins overPittsburgh of theBig East[122] and a third-straight win overNorth Carolina,[123] but was decimated by injuries and finished the season 5–7.[124][117][118]
After being picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic Division in the preseason in 2010,[125] the Wolfpack finished with a record of 9–4 and tied for second in the ACC,[126] was one game away from playing for anACC title and was the third league team picked in the bowl selections. O'Brien's squad was the first Wolfpack team to garner nine wins since 2003 posted State's first winning season in five years. With theChamps Sports Bowl victory overWest Virginia,[127] the 2010 squad tied the second highest win total in school history while finishing 9–4.[118] In 2011, led by futureTampa Bay Buccaneers starting quarterbackMike Glennon,[128] the Wolfpack had an 8–5 record.[129][130]
On November 25, 2012, O'Brien received notice from NC State that he had been dismissed effective immediately despite navigating the team to a 7–5 regular-season record.[131][132] Athletic directorDebbie Yow cited several reasons.[132] She was concerned over lagging season-ticket sales, as well as his approach to recruiting.[132] O'Brien's recruiting classes were frequently in the bottom half of the nation, and Yow wanted a coach who could bring top 25-type talent to Raleigh.[132] NCSU was obligated to pay $1.2 million of non-state funds to O'Brien, as his contract ran through the 2015 season.[133] NCSU ultimately paid O'Brien only $200,000 after the buyout was renegotiated so he could become an assistant atVirginia.[134]
On December 1, 2012, Debbie Yow announced thatNorthern Illinois head coachDave Doeren would be the new head coach of the Wolfpack.[135] His initial signed contract paid $1.8 million annually.[136] In Doeren's first season at the helm, the Wolfpack compiled a record of 3–9 and failed to win an ACC game.[137] In his second season, they improved to 8–5 (one of the fastest turnarounds in school history),[138] and won the2014 St. Petersburg Bowl.[139] They also posted a decisive 35–7 win against archrivalNorth Carolina.[140] Doeren accomplished all this with the 3rd youngest team in the nation.[141]
The next year, Doeren's team finished 7–6,[142] losing the2015 Belk Bowl.[143] The team was led by quarterbackJacoby Brissett, who was eventually selected by theNew England Patriots in the2016 NFL draft.[144] For the 2016 season, the Wolfpack again finished 7–6.[142] NC State began the season with a victory overWilliam & Mary.[145] After losing the following week toEast Carolina,[146] State won three straight, defeatingOld Dominion,[147]Wake Forest[148] andNotre Dame (in a game infamously played duringHurricane Matthew).[149] NC State would then lose four games in a row, first in a heartbreaker against No. 3Clemson,[150] then to No. 7Louisville,[151] and finally toBoston College[152] and No. 19Florida State.[153] The Wolfpack would close the season with a win overSyracuse,[154] a loss toMiami,[155] a victory in the regular season finale against archrivalNorth Carolina[156] and a win overVanderbilt in theIndependence Bowl inShreveport, Louisiana.[157] On Thursday, October 5, 2017, at 8:00 pm, NC State played Louisville where quarterbacks Ryan Finley (NCSU) andLamar Jackson (LOU) faced off in front of a national TV audience onESPN College Football Thursday Primetime. Ryan Finley threw the football for 367 yards and Lamar Jackson threw the football for 354 yards. NC State won its first ACC divisional match-up against Louisville, with a final score of 39–25.[158] On February 24, 2022, Doeren and NC State agreed to terms on a raise and contract extension that would keep the coach in Raleigh through 2026.[159]
As of November 30, 2024, Dave Doeren's teams have defeated archrival UNC 4 consecutive years and he has amassed an overall 8-4 record against the in state rival.
NC State has been both independent and affiliated with multiple conferences.[160]
NC State has won 11 conference championships in three different conferences.[162]: 150–156 [163]
| Year | Conference | Coach | Record | Conf. Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1907 | South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Mickey Whitehurst | 6–0–1 | 5–0–0 |
| 1910 | Eddie Green | 4–0–2 | 2–0–2 | |
| 1913 | 6–1 | 2–0 | ||
| 1927 | Southern Conference | Gus Tebell | 9–1 | 4–0 |
| 1957 | Atlantic Coast Conference | Earle Edwards | 7–1–2 | 5–0–1 |
| 1963† | 8–3 | 6–1 | ||
| 1964 | 5–5 | 5–2 | ||
| 1965† | 6–4 | 5–2‡ | ||
| 1968 | 6–4 | 6–1 | ||
| 1973 | Lou Holtz | 9–3 | 6–0 | |
| 1979 | Bo Rein | 7–4 | 5–1 |
† Co-champion
‡ On-field record was 4–3, but adjusted to 5–2 due to South Carolina's use of an ineligible player, resulting in an ACC co-championship
There have been 33 head coaches at NC State.[164][better source needed]
| Years | Coach | ACC Record | Overall Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1892, 1896–97 | Perrin Busbee | — | 3–2–0 | .600 |
| 1893–95 | Bart Gatling | — | 3–4–1 | .437 |
| 1898–99 | W.C. Riddick | — | 1–3–2 | .333 |
| 1900–01 | John McKee | — | 1–6–0 | .143 |
| 1902–03 | Arthur Devlin | — | 7–8–2 | .471 |
| 1904 | W.S. Kienholz | — | 3–1–2 | .667 |
| 1905 | George S. Whitney | — | 4–1–1 | .750 |
| 1906 | Willie Heston | — | 3–1–4 | .625 |
| 1907–08 | Mickey Whitehurst | — | 12–1–1 | .893 |
| 1909–13 | Eddie Green | — | 25–8–2 | .743 |
| 1914–15 | Jack Hegarty | — | 5–6–2 | .461 |
| 1916 | Brit Patterson | — | 2–5–0 | .286 |
| 1917, 1921–23 | Harry Hartsell | — | 16–18–4 | .474 |
| 1918 | Tal Stafford | — | 1–3–0 | .250 |
| 1919–20 | Bill Fetzer | — | 14–5–0 | .737 |
| 1924 | Buck Shaw | — | 2–6–2 | .300 |
| 1925–29 | Gus Tebell | — | 21–25–2 | .479 |
| 1930 | John Van Liew | — | 2–8–0 | .200 |
| 1931–33 | Clipper Smith | — | 10–12–5 | .463 |
| 1934–36 | Hunk Anderson | — | 11–17–1 | .396 |
| 1937–43 | Doc Newton | — | 24–39–6 | .391 |
| 1944–51 | Beattie Feathers | — | 37–38–3 | .494 |
| 1952–53 | Horace Hendrickson | 0–3–0 | 4–16–0 | .200 |
| 1954–70 | Earle Edwards | 55–45–5 | 77–88–8 | .468 |
| 1971 | Al Michaels | 2–5–0 | 3–8–0 | .273 |
| 1972–75 | Lou Holtz | 16–5–2 | 33–12–3 | .719 |
| 1976–79 | Bo Rein | 15–8–0 | 27–18–1 | .619 |
| 1980–82 | Monte Kiffin | 8–10–0 | 16–17–0 | .485 |
| 1983–85 | Tom Reed | 4–17–0 | 9–24–0 | .273 |
| 1986–92 | Dick Sheridan | 31–18–1 | 52–29–3 | .637 |
| 1993–99 | Mike O'Cain | 26–30–0 | 41–40–0 | .506 |
| 2000–06 | Chuck Amato | 25–31–0 | 49–37–0 | .570 |
| 2007–12 | Tom O'Brien | 22–26–0 | 40–35–0 | .533 |
| 2013–present | Dave Doeren | 47–51–0 | 87–65–0 | .572 |
NC State has participated in 36 bowl games as of the conclusion of the 2024 season, amassing a record of 17–18–1.[165]
| No. | Date | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 1, 1947 | Gator Bowl | Oklahoma | L 13–34 |
| 2 | December 21, 1963 | Liberty Bowl | Mississippi State | L 12–16 |
| 3 | December 16, 1967 | Liberty Bowl | Georgia | W 14–7 |
| 4 | December 29, 1972 | Peach Bowl | West Virginia | W 49–13 |
| 5 | December 17, 1973 | Liberty Bowl | Kansas | W 31–18 |
| 6 | December 23, 1974 | Bluebonnet Bowl | Houston | T 31–31 |
| 7 | December 31, 1975 | Peach Bowl | West Virginia | L 10–13 |
| 8 | December 31, 1977 | Peach Bowl | Iowa State | W 24–14 |
| 9 | December 23, 1978 | Tangerine Bowl | Pittsburgh | W 30–17 |
| 10 | December 31, 1986 | Peach Bowl | Virginia Tech | L 24–25 |
| 11 | December 31, 1988 | Peach Bowl | Iowa | W 28–23 |
| 12 | December 31, 1989 | Copper Bowl | Arizona | L 10–17 |
| 13 | December 28, 1990 | All-American Bowl | Southern Miss | W 31–27 |
| 14 | January 1, 1992 | Peach Bowl | East Carolina | L 34–37 |
| 15 | December 31, 1992 | Gator Bowl | Florida | L 10–27 |
| 16 | January 1, 1994 | Hall of Fame Bowl | Michigan | L 7–42 |
| 17 | January 1, 1995 | Peach Bowl | Mississippi State | W 28–24 |
| 18 | December 29, 1998 | Micron PC Bowl | Miami (FL) | L 23–46 |
| 19 | December 28, 2000 | MicronPC.com Bowl | Minnesota | W 38–30 |
| 20 | December 20, 2001 | Tangerine Bowl | Pittsburgh | L 19–34 |
| 21 | January 1, 2003 | Gator Bowl | Notre Dame | W 28–6 |
| 22 | December 22, 2003 | Tangerine Bowl | Kansas | W 56–26 |
| 23 | December 31, 2005 | Meineke Car Care Bowl | South Florida | W 14–0 |
| 24 | December 29, 2008 | PapaJohns.com Bowl | Rutgers | L 23–29 |
| 25 | December 28, 2010 | Champs Sports Bowl | West Virginia | W 23–7 |
| 26 | December 27, 2011 | Belk Bowl | Louisville | W 31–24 |
| 27 | December 31, 2012 | Music City Bowl | Vanderbilt | L 24–38 |
| 28 | December 26, 2014 | St. Petersburg Bowl | UCF | W 34–27 |
| 29 | December 30, 2015 | Belk Bowl | Mississippi State | L 28–51 |
| 30 | December 26, 2016 | Independence Bowl | Vanderbilt | W 41–17 |
| 31 | December 29, 2017 | Sun Bowl | Arizona State | W 52–31 |
| 32 | December 31, 2018 | Gator Bowl | Texas A&M | L 13–52 |
| 33 | January 2, 2021 | Gator Bowl | Kentucky | L 21–23 |
| 34 | December 28, 2021 | Holiday Bowl | UCLA | Canceled |
| 35 | December 30, 2022 | Duke's Mayo Bowl | Maryland | L 12–16 |
| 36 | December 28, 2023 | Pop-Tarts Bowl | Kansas State | L 19–28 |
| 37 | December 28, 2024 | Military Bowl | East Carolina | L 21–26 |
NC State rankings in final AP and Coaches polls.[166]
| Year | Record | Final AP Poll Rank | Final Coaches Poll Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 8–3–0 | 18 | — |
| 1947 | 5–3–1 | 17 | — |
| 1957 | 7–1–2 | 15 | 20 |
| 1967 | 9–2–0 | — | 17 |
| 1972 | 8–3–1 | 17 | — |
| 1973 | 9–3–0 | 16 | — |
| 1974 | 9–2–1 | 11 | 9 |
| 1977 | 8–4–0 | — | 19 |
| 1978 | 9–3–0 | 18 | 19 |
| 1988 | 8–3–1 | — | 17 |
| 1991 | 9–3–0 | 24 | 25 |
| 1992 | 9–3–1 | 17 | 15 |
| 1994 | 9–3–0 | 17 | 17 |
| 2002 | 11–3 | 12 | 11 |
| 2010 | 9–4 | 25 | 25 |
| 2017 | 9–4 | 23 | 23 |
| 2021 | 9–3 | 20 | 19 |
| 2023 | 9–4 | 21 | 21 |
From 1891 until 1907, the school's first teams played on the open fields that surrounded campus, either at Pullen Park, at the old North Carolina State Fairgrounds or on the farm tracts on the "other" side of the railroad tracks. In 1907, faculty members, alumni and students began collecting money to enclose a large tract of land behind the Main Building that would become the home of the football and baseball teams. The Aggies played their first game there against Randolph Macon, recording a 20–0 win. Wooden grandstands slowly rose on the site, and it was namedRiddick Field in 1912, after popular professor W.C. Riddick, who is remembered as the father of athletics at the school.[167]
The stadium did not age gracefully. At its height, it only had 14,000 permanent seats[168] and never held more than 23,000 seats total.[167]
Although Riddick Stadium was considered obsolete as early as the 1950s,[167] it wasn't until 1966 that Riddick was replaced with a much more modern stadium. It was named Carter Stadium in honor of Harry C. & Wilbert J. "Nick" Carter, both graduates of the university. They were major contributors to the original building of the stadium. In 1979, it becameCarter–Finley Stadium, named after Albert E. Finley, another major philanthropist and contributor to the university. The stadium's seating capacity is 56,919.
Carter-Finley has been the home to some of the school's most decorated athletes: Gerald Warren,Dennis Byrd, the Buckey twins (Don and Dave), ACC-career rushing leaderTed Brown,Joe McIntosh,Erik Kramer,Jamie Barnette,Torry Holt, ACC-passing leaderPhilip Rivers, NFL No. 1 pickMario Williams, andRussell Wilson.[167]
On October 8, 2016, NC State celebrated its 50th season at Carter–Finley Stadium with a dramatic 10–3 win overNotre Dame Fighting Irish in the driving rain in the middle ofHurricane Matthew. NC State boasted a 2–0 record against the Fighting Irish, winning both of their meetings up to that time by a combined score of 38–9. In both games, Notre Dame had yet to score a touchdown against the Wolfpack.
Since the 1960s, the Wolfpack has been represented at athletic events by its mascots, Mr. and Ms. Wuf. In print, the 'Strutting Wolf' is used and is known by the name 'Tuffy.' In September 2010, a purebredTamaskan Dog became the new live mascot.[169][170][171][172][173]
Bordering state rivalClemson leads the all-time series over NC State 60–31–1 through the 2023 season.[174] The name of the rivalry is derived from thetextile industry which has historical importance to the economies of bothNorth Carolina andSouth Carolina and the fact that both schools are among the largest university-level textile schools in the world.[175] Both NC State and Clemson were members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and thus played each other every year. The rivalry game is no longer protected in the expanded ACC and therefore will not be played every year going forward.[176] The two schools did play during the 2023 season inRaleigh, with NC State emerging victorious, 24-17, and at Clemson during the 2024 season with Clemson winning 59-35. The Wolfpack has now split two out of the last four meetings against the Tigers.
This game is part of the largerTobacco Road rivalry betweenNorth Carolina Power 5 universities NC State, North Carolina, Duke and Wake Forest. The series withDuke dates back to 1924 and was played every year uninterrupted from then until 2003 except for 1944.[177] After the Atlantic Coast Conference split into non-geographical divisions in 2004,[178] the Wolfpack and Blue Devils were placed in opposite divisions and weren't designated as each other's annual cross divisional opponent, thereby ending the annual series and making the rivalry intermittent.[179][180] With the ACC ending the divisional format after the 2022 season in favor of an arrangement that calls for three annual conference opponents with five rotating, the four North Carolina schools were designated as all three of each other's annual conference opponents, thus reviving the annual series between the Wolfpack and Blue Devils for the foreseeable future.[181][182] Duke dominated the early years of the rivalry but NC State has won 15 of 20 since 1990.[183] Duke leads the all-time series 43–37–5.[184][185][186]
NC State leads the all-time series with non-Tobacco Road in-state rivalEast Carolina 20–14 with the most recent game being played in 2025, which resulted in NC State beating East Carolina 24-17 inRaleigh, NC.[187] The NC State and East Carolina rivalry dates back to the first meeting between the two schools in 1970, when they began playing on an annual basis which lasted until 1987. Both schools have other larger and more prominent rivalries, but this series does stir up passion in both Greenville and Raleigh.[188][189][190] NC State has won 4 out of the last 5 meetings against the Pirates.[191]
This game is part of the largerTobacco Road rivalry betweenNorth Carolina Power 5 universities NC State, North Carolina, Duke and Wake Forest. The Wolfpack's rivalry withNorth Carolina is generally regarded as the most prominent college football game in the state of North Carolina.[192] The Tar Heels lead the all-time series 68–40–6 through the 2024 season.[193] The game is played annually at the end of every season during Thanksgiving week. Since the formation of the ACC in 1953, North Carolina leads the series 37–35, and NC State holds a 16–9 series advantage since 2000, including winning 13 out of the last 18 games against UNC-Chapel Hill.[193] Previously, the two schools were members of separate divisions in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but were designated as cross-over rivals, and thus played each other every year. As the ACC has expanded, the State-Carolina game has been designated as a protected rivalry, and the two schools will continue to play against each other on a yearly basis.[176] NC State has won the last 4 games in the series, winning the latest contest by a score of 35-30.[194] Current head coach Dave Doeren is 8-4 against Carolina, including a 5-1 record in Chapel Hill.
This game is part of the largerTobacco Road rivalry betweenNorth Carolina Power 5 universities NC State, North Carolina, Duke and Wake Forest. NC State leads the all-time series withWake Forest 70–43–6 through the 2025 season.[195] The rivalry game holds the distinction as the longest continuous rivalry between 2 ACC schools, and currently it is the second longest active streak in the nation. NC State and Wake Forest have played consecutively every year since 1910.[196]
The two schools last played during the 2025 season inWinston-Salem,[194] with NC State winning 34-24.
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All records per NC State Athletics.[207]
Years in Bold indicate Consensus 1st team All-American
| NC State Wolfpack retired numbers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Player | Pos. | Tenure | No. ret. | Ref. |
| 17 | Philip Rivers | QB | 2000–2003 | 2003 | [215][216] |
| 18 | Roman Gabriel | QB | 1958–1961 | 1962 | [215][216] |
| 23 | Ted Brown | RB | 1975–1978 | 1978 | [215][216] |
| 40 | Dick Christy | RB | 1954–1957 | 1997 | [215][216] |
| 51 | Jim Ritcher | C | 1976–1979 | 1987 | [215][216] |
| 63 | Bill Yoest | OT | 1970–1973 | 2003 | [215][216] |
| 77 | Dennis Byrd | DE | 1964–1967 | [215][216] | |
| 81 | Torry Holt | WR | 1995–1998 | 1999 | [215][216] |
Those jersey numbers remain available. Future players wearing these numbers will have a patch recognizing former players.[217][218]
| NC State Wolfpack honored jerseys | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Player | Pos. | Tenure |
| 9 | Mario Williams | DE | 2003–2005 |
| Bradley Chubb[219] | DE | 2014–2017 | |
| 16 | Russell Wilson | QB | 2007–2010 |
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†co-winner
Six former NC State players and four former head coaches have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as of 2022.[222]
| Name | Position | Inducted |
|---|---|---|
| Buck Shaw | Head coach | 1972 |
| Jack McDowall | HB | 1975 |
| Roman Gabriel | QB | 1989 |
| Jim Ritcher | C | 1998 |
| Lou Holtz | Head coach | 2008 |
| Jim Donnan | Head coach | 2009 |
| Dennis Byrd | DT | 2010 |
| Ted Brown | RB | 2013 |
| Torry Holt | WR | 2019 |
| Dick Sheridan | Head coach | 2020 |
| Name | Position | Inducted |
|---|---|---|
| Bill Cowher | Head coach | 2020 |
| Name | Position | Team | Career | Inducted | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willie Burden | RB | Calgary Stampeders | 1974–1981 | 2001 | [223] |
The ACC schedules from 2024–2030 are available at:ACC Announces Future Conference Football Schedule Model
| Year | Non-conference opponents | Home ACC games | Away ACC games | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | East Carolina (8/30) | Virginia (9/6) | Campbell (10/4) | at Notre Dame (10/11) | Florida State | Georgia Tech | North Carolina | Virginia Tech | Duke | Miami | Pitt | Wake Forest |
| 2026 | Richmond (9/12) | at Vanderbilt (9/19) | Appalachian State (9/26) | at Virginia (TBD) | California | Duke | Louisville | Wake Forest | Florida State | North Carolina | Stanford | Virginia Tech |
| 2027 | North Carolina A&T (9/11) | at Texas Tech (9/18) | Kansas State (9/25) | Louisiana Tech (10/2) | Clemson | Miami | North Carolina | Pittsburgh | Duke | Syracuse | Virginia | Wake Forest |
| 2028 | at East Carolina (9/2) | Vanderbilt (9/16) | Campbell (9/23) | at Appalachian State (9/30) | Boston College | Duke | SMU | Wake Forest | California | Clemson | Louisville | North Carolina |
| 2029 | at South Florida (9/8) | Notre Dame (10/6) | TBD | TBD | Miami | North Carolina | Pittsburgh | Virginia | Duke | Florida State | SMU | Wake Forest |
| 2030 | Charlotte (9/7) | at South Carolina (9/14) | TBD | TBD | Duke | Louisville | Stanford | Wake Forest | Boston College | North Carolina | Pittsburgh | Virginia Tech |
| 2031 | South Carolina (8/30) | at Charlotte (9/6) | at Notre Dame (11/22) | TBD | ||||||||
| 2032 | at Kansas State (9/18) | TBD | TBD | TBD | ||||||||
| 2033 | at Georgia (9/17) | TBD | TBD | TBD | ||||||||
| 2034 | Georgia (9/16) | TBD | TBD | |||||||||
| 2035 | Notre Dame (11/10) | TBD | TBD | TBD | ||||||||
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