A bill has been proposed by members of the North Carolina House of Representatives that would force NC State and UNC to play one another, as well as East Carolina, UNC Charlotte and Appalachian State.
According to House Bill 965, which you can read here in full, NC State and UNC would be required to play one another annually in Football, Men’s Basketball and Women’s Basketball. The Wolfpack and the Tar Heels would also be forced to play a game annually in all three sports against either ECU, UNC-Charlotte or App St. Every six years, NC State and UNC would be required to have played a home and away game against each of the three school in all three sports.
Here’s the exact wording from the proposed bill:
Competition Required. – A high-enrollment institution shall do all of the following in each eligible sport: (1) Every academic year, play at least one home or one away game against (i) another high-enrollment institution and (ii) an eligible constituent institution that is not a high-enrollment institution. (2) Every six academic years, play at least one home and one away game against each eligible constituent institution that is not a high-enrollment institution. A high-enrollment institution shall alternate home and away games that are scheduled against the same eligible constituent institution that is not a high-enrollment institution.
For glossary of terms being referenced above:
For the purposes of this bill, “High-enrollment institutions” = NC State and UNC, while “Eligible constituent institutions” = East Carolina, UNC Charlotte and Appalachian State.
It’s worth noting that NC State already has games schedule against each of these teams home-and-away in Football between now and 2031.
2025 – East Carolina (H)
2025 – @ App St.
2026 – App St. (H)
2028 – @ East Carolina
2030 – Charlotte (H)
2031 – @ Charlotte
What are your thoughts?
For more details, check out this article at WRAL.
I don’t think 7 wins would be too difficult unless we just royally crap the bed. We return a relatively consistent roster from 2014 and with Syracuse and UNC at home, I like our chances there. Both Clemson and Louisville are at home, so one of those two are likely ripe for a win.
I think Louisville could be a good home opener for ACC play. Louisville loses a lot of offensive power at WR and a myriad of line players. Could be good.