NC State Football

NC State’s 2026 Football Schedule Has Arrived

Published

5 months ago

January 26, 2026

Matthew Bradham

The Wolfpack’s 2026 football schedule has officially arrived.

NC State’s 2026 Football Schedule

August 29 – vs. Virginia
September 12 – vs. Richmond (last time played: 2013)
September 19 – at Vanderbilt (last time played: 2016)
September 26 – vs. Appalachian State (last time played: 2006)
October 3 – vs. Louisville
October 10 – vs. Wake Forest
October 23 or 24 – at Stanford
October 30 or 31 – vs. California
November 6 or 7 – vs. Duke
November 14 – vs. Syracuse
November 21 – at Florida State
November 28 – at North Carolina

What Stands Out on the 2026 Schedule

NC State will play a nine-game ACC schedule, which is now the conference standard going forward. The ACC also requires each team to play at least one Power 4 non-conference opponent, a box the Wolfpack check with their road trip to Vanderbilt.

One of the most unique aspects of the schedule comes right out of the gate.

The season opener against Virginia will be played in Brazil, marking the first college football game ever held in the country. While opening conference play in Week 1 is unusual, the setting makes this matchup even more notable.